


Someday I'll Meet You Again

by HancocksLove



Series: Wasteland Wanderers [2]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 3, Fallout 4, Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: Angst, Atomic Wrangler, Big Town, Canon Related, Canon-Typical Violence, Citadel, Dead Money (DLC), Eventual Fluff, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Smut, Everyone loves the main OC, F/M, Freeside, Goodsprings, Gun Runners, Honest Hearts (DLC), Like really really slow, Little Lamplight, Lots of Elbowing, Lots of Eventual Fluff, Megaton, Mick & Ralph's, Mojave Wasteland, New Vegas, New Vegas Intro, Non-Consensual, Not Canon Compliant, Novac, OC Becomes Courier 6 Kinda, Original Character Death(s), Primm - Freeform, REPCONN, Sibling Incest, Siblings, Sierra Madre Casino, Slow Burn, Texas, The Capital Wasteland - Freeform, Twincest, Violence, Zion, really slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-12
Updated: 2016-11-04
Packaged: 2018-08-22 03:31:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 15
Words: 68,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8270965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HancocksLove/pseuds/HancocksLove
Summary: **ATTENTION!: PLEASE NOTE - This story is *NOT* about the Sole Survivor, Courier, or Lone Wanderer. HOWEVER! In later chapters the Sole Survivor WILL make an appearance AND is in a relationship with Hancock. Which is why I will be using the tag John Hancock/Sole Survivor later on.*****I will update ALL Tags (Characters, Additional, etc) and Archive Warnings as the story progresses! I don't want to give away too much before I upload chapters.***This is a side-story to The One You're Lookin' For and contains OC that are the main characters: Packrat and his twin sister Rabbit. In this story these two kids, who are from the south, have turned 16 and are forced out of Little Lamplight, into the Capital Wasteland. Their adventures will end up taking them to the Mojave Wasteland and the Commonwealth, making new friends along the way. Some of those friends, though, pop back into their lives unexpectedly.You'll notice that there's a lot of Player Character in-game dialogue from Fallout 3 and New Vegas that occurs between the OC and others. It's hard to explain what I've done here, but if you give it a read, you'll see what I'm talking about. ;)





	1. Easy Living

**Author's Note:**

> Please ignore my spelling and grammatical errors that I was unable to catch to fix before uploading.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is about a brother and sister turning 16. And you know what that means...

One mid-October morning in the year 2280, the entire town gathered in the dining area. “Happy birthday.” All the children said, casually throwing confetti around the twins. Presents were generally given anytime someone had a birthday, but there was one dismal occasion that was always difficult for the inhabitants; presents weren't exactly appropriate. Eventually, everyone experienced that specific occasion, it was inevitable. The children gathered round the birthday boy and girl, wishing them the best. Everyone sat down to have the cake one of the boys had made, nothing but silence filled the room. There were so many things to be said, but nothing would make it any easier. Even the dogs knew something was up, they weren't under the table begging for scraps like they usually were. Times like these were dreaded by everyone, hated by those left behind. It was more of a solemn occasion than a celebration, no matter how happy everyone appeared.

“…do we have to?” The redheaded, green-eyed birthday girl said in her southern drawl. 

“Sorry Rabbit, rules are rules. But, happy birthday.” The other kids named her Rabbit when her and her brother first came along because of her ability to just ‘hop in and hop out’ of some places. She was proficient with a pistol and new how to dispatch any problematic baddies before they knew she was even there. She thought the nickname was a bit silly, but didn’t mind.

“Yeah, I know… but I'm scared.” She said, wiping the tears from eyes. 

“You won’t be alone.” One of the 15 year old boys replied, looking at her from underneath the brim of his helmet. “It’s something everyone goes through. It’ll be my turn real soon. This year.”

“Yeah, besides, you'll have me with you.” Her brother said, giving her a side hug. She knew he'd be with her, but that didn't make her feel any better. They knew nothing about the Wasteland, how would they survive? They weren't much more than children that were going to have to brave whatever dangers laid before them. At least they had one more night to stay there, one more night of safety… one more night of a guaranteed meal. 

“Not really what I meant,” The 15 year old said, “but that too.” No one could tell that he was afraid as well. He wasn’t the one venturing beyond the safety of their town, but he knew his time was coming. However, he felt more afraid for Rabbit, hoping her brother would take care of her… he didn’t dare tell anyone, especially her, that she was his favorite. He was 15 and, of course, interested in girls, he had so much on his plate though and girls would only complicate things. He had a responsibility to the others. Though, there were many nights he laid awake in bed, thinking about how he would like to know her better… on a personal level. Know where she came from, who her parents were, how she ended up there. The only thing he knew about her was that Rabbit and her brother, Packrat, were from the south. Why did they move so far north? What happened to their parents? These were the most common questions that kept him awake at night. He knew all of the other children fairly well, so he thought… except those two.

“Come on, sis.” Packrat said, latching onto her elbow. “We gotta pack up and hit the hay so we can head out tomorrow.” He couldn’t hide the fact that he was excited to venture forth beyond the walls they’d come to know over the last 4 years. Packrat loved adventures, and he loved to scavenge for things - especially toys. Anything anyone needed, Packrat could find it. Sure, he'd been out into the Wasteland, but he didn't stray far or for very long. He couldn't wait to see what new things he could find or what he could make out of them. Rabbit knew how to scavenge and make things, but not like he did. Packrat was going to teach her how to properly scavenge and put things together with next to no supplies, it would be something she'd need to know. His excitement was so overwhelming that he could only hope to catch a few hours of shuteye. 

The twins went around visiting everyone to make sure they said all the goodbyes they needed to. Rabbit’s cheeks were tear drenched the whole time. Packrat knew his sister didn't want to leave town, but it was policy, no exceptions. Not even for her. He wanted to help her find the courage she needed, he could tell she was terrified. Her fears may not have been quite so obvious to the others, but he knew he sister. He could only hope that it wouldn't become a hindrance. After they made their rounds to bid farewell to the others, they went to bed. Rabbit had nightmares about the Wasteland that night, mostly about Deathclaws or Super Mutants ripping them to pieces. She would wake up periodically in a cold sweat, looking over at Packrat to make sure she was actually dreaming. Rabbit didn't really want to go back to sleep each time she woke from a nightmare because when one sleeps, hours feel like seconds and she wanted to delay their departure as long as possible. But, she knew better than to try to leave with little sleep. Packrat was snoring away in his bed as he always was. This could be the last night they'd even have a bed for a while. 

Before long, morning was upon them, Packrat woke his sister and the two gathered their possessions. The entire town seemed dreary to Rabbit, almost as if overnight everything had dulled. There wasn't any rattling coming from the kitchen, the dogs weren't barking, not even the sounds of children playing. Rabbit thought for a second that maybe if she begged, on her hands and knees, they'd be able to stay. That thought was pushed aside quickly because she knew better. It wasn't anything personal, it's just how they ran things. Walking to the entrance of the town, they looked back at all the faces they'd come to know and love, waving their goodbyes. 

“This isn't goodbye,” the helmeted boy told her, “It’s just a see ya later.” 

“See ya later, MacCready, been nice knowin’ ya.” Packrat said to the boy. 

“Take care of each other.” He said back. He managed to get enough courage to go over and hug Rabbit, trying to contain the pain he felt knowing it would be a long time before he'd get to see her again, if at all. She didn't hesitate to hug him back. Rabbit turned to the other boy standing there, “See you later, Mayor Zip. Thank you for making us feel at home here.” She looked back at MacCready, “And thank you for being so welcoming, too.”

“It's my job. But you're welcome. Don't forget how I told you to get to Big Town. It's not far.” The Mayor told her while MacCready was too busy stuttering and blushing.

The twins waved to all the other children, then turned and walked out of the entrance into the Wasteland, leaving Little Lamplight behind forever.


	2. Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Packrat and his sister, Rabbit, have left Little Lamplight. They're bummed cos they're mungos. Big Town has gone to shit.
> 
> Please note, the errors in spelling when Packrat or Rabbit are talking, are on purpose. It's how you 'hear' their southern drawl.

Packrat and Rabbit couldn’t see any places from where they stood, just desolate Wasteland. Mayor Zip had given them specific directions on how to get to Big Town with the least danger. There was word that Super Mutants had started patrolling close by, but shortly after that information reached Zip, he didn't hear anything more. Packrat remembered what they were told to do, so he led Rabbit down the hillside towards their destination, navigating around all of the potential peril. The closer they got to Big Town, the more uneasy they started to feel - it seemed… vacant. Packrat figured they'd see people working or, at least, milling about. But there were none. The pair crept up beside one of the houses, deafened by the sheer silence, Packrat told his sister to stay behind him while he looked around the corner through the fencing. She listened. He saw something that made his stomach churn - pieces of what he could only assume were human being and a couple of dead Super Mutants. A serious battle had taken place in Big Town, and it’s people lost. Not a single person had survived the Super Mutant attack. There were marks in the dirt of what appeared to look as if people had been dragged away. He looked back at his sister and whispered, “We shouldn't be here. We needta get while the gettin’s good.” Rabbit covered her mouth to keep from making a sound. She was shaking but managed to nod her head in agreement. Big Town was out of the question, they'd need to find somewhere else to go that was close by, but safe too. They had no idea where to go, or even what towns were near their location, but they had to do something in case the Super Mutants returned. 

“Maybe we can talk to Zip.” Rabbit whispered, “Maybe he'll let us back in since it's not safe here.”

“You know that isn't going to happen. It's against the rules. We’re the Mungos now, we ain’t welcome there anymore.” Rabbit knew this, but she didn't want to accept it. How would they turn them away knowing the dangerous situation with Big Town? How would two 16 year old kids be expected to stand against a gang of Super Mutants if an entire village of Mungos couldn't? Rabbit dropped her head and began to cry, her brother hugged her, “It’s gonna be okay, sis. Don't you worry. I'm not gonna let anything bad happen to you. We’ll figure this out. Right now you need to buck up ‘cause we gotta find somewhere to sleep tonight. I dunno ‘bout you, but this doesn't look inviting.”

“You're right. I'm sorry. But are we supposed to wander until we come across another village?”

Packrat scratched his head and thought for a second, “Naw, I seen a few places on the way here we can check out. Gotta be on alert and suspicious of everyone, though.” Rabbit nodded her head at him and they quietly walked back to the road, taking care not to step on anything that could make the slightest of noise. Once they back-tracked a ways, far enough from Big Town to feel a bit safe, Packrat told Rabbit that they had passed by what looked like a power station of some kind. Continuing to follow the road, they came to a broken bridge and someone was standing in the middle of it. Packrat motioned for his sister to stay behind him and to keep quiet but it was too late. The Raider that stood on the bridge opened fire on them, alerting the other Raiders that had taken over a Bed & Breakfast just to the south. Packrat threw his sister off of the bridge, jumping down to the ground after her. Before either of them could move, they heard more gunfire and took cover underneath the bridge. As luck would have it, a couple of Brotherhood Outcasts happened across that area at the same time, taking the Raiders out with ease. Rabbit ran over to the Outcasts and started to thank them even though she felt intimidated by their red and black power armor. However, they didn’t want to be bothered at all it seemed. In fact, Rabbit found them extremely rude and unpleasant. “Why don’t you go bother the Brotherhood or something?” One of them said to her as she tried to show appreciation. She could only scoff at the men as Packrat practically dragged her away from them. “Don’chu know you don’t go talkin’ to strangers like that?! He coulda shot you!”

“Stupid Mungo.” Rabbit scoffed again.

“We ARE the mungos, don’t you get it?”

“I didn’t ASK to be a mungo, Everett!” Rabbit hissed through gritted teeth.

She called Packrat by his real name… that’s when he knew she was extremely upset. Being the caring big brother he was, who was only older by a few minutes, he apologized for being cross with her and explained that he simply didn’t want to see her get hurt. She understood and apologized in return for being so careless. She still felt shaken over the Raiders shooting at them, she’d never been shot at before by other humans. Super Mutants, sure, a couple of times. But humans? Never. Packrat then gave her a nudge, pointing towards a small area with a few houses, “Looks abandoned,” he said. “We oughta go check it out… carefully. It’ll at least be somewhere to stay for the night, if nothin’ else.” This time they weren’t going to be caught off guard, Packrat grabbed his 9mm and Rabbit reached for her Chinese pistol and turned the safety off. Approaching the tiny settlement, they could see silhouettes of people walking around aimlessly. Realizing that these Wastelanders weren’t exactly humans, but Ghouls, they proceeded with extreme caution though the Ghouls didn’t appear to be Feral. The closer they got the more nervous they were, Packrat looked over at his sister, “We’re gonna be friendly but cautious, okay? No attitude, no matter what. Got it?”

“Got it.” She said, still holding her pistol in her hands, keeping it pointed towards the ground so she wouldn’t appear as a threat. Although, once they finally reached the settlement, it was a good thing they had armed themselves beforehand because four Ghouls, though not Feral, were definitely violent and started charging at them with baseball bats, one even had a shotgun. Lucky for the twins, they were proficient enough with firearms to quickly dispatch them without problem. “Don’t think there are anymore.” Packrat said skimming the area, “But let’s be wary when we check these houses, okay?” Rabbit nodded, staying on high alert as they walked into the first abandoned house they came to.

“Jesus H…” Packrat said, looking at several skeletons on the ground. “Looks like they tried to use this table here to protect themselves. Didn’t work.”

“Thank you, Captain Obvious.” Rabbit said, rolling her eyes at him.

“You’re welcome. Now, come on, no way are we gonna sleep in here. Ain’t a bed one.” He said with a laugh, wrapping an arm around Rabbit’s shoulders and leading her out the door. They crossed through some debris to the other side of the small village and saw two more houses they could look in. Going inside the large one first, it seemed to be a dining hall. They didn’t find much other than a bit of food and a few Nuka-Cola’s, but that was better than nothing. Upon walking back outside, they suddenly began to hear yelling and screams of pain. Just as the two were about to go try to help whomever was being hurt, they heard the most terrifying sound coming from the nearby junkyard. Rabbit had never heard anything like it before, but Packrat had, once. He immediately pushed her into the small shack that they’d yet to explore and she fell to the floor with a thump. 

“OW! What the hell, Packrat?!”

“Sorry, you heard that, right?”

“Yeah, how could I not. The hell was it?”

“I’ve heard that sound once before. It’s a sound you’ll never forget as long as you live. Or, at least, you’d better hope you don’t. That there was the sound of a Deathclaw. Bite yer head off in one chomp.” He said, using his arms and hands to mimic the bite. 

“Nuh uh!” Rabbit said in disbelief.

“Oh yeah. I seen one before, just one time though. Saw it eat up a Super Mutant in two swallows. So we’re gonna stay right here until tomorrow. Then, YOU are gonna stay right here while I go see if that Deathclaw is still stompin’ around out there.”

“Oh no. I don’t even think so. One, you’re not leavin’ me here in a strange place all by my damn self, not gonna happen. Two, what if he is huh? You’re gonna need help. We both go together or neither of us is leaving this shack.”

“Ugh! I swear on all that is holy, Rabbit , sometimes you are the most stubborn sister a brother could have!” He said to her, facepalming. She knew that she was stubborn, but if Packrat wasn’t going to let her go anywhere alone, she wasn’t going to let him either. 

Night fell and they could still hear the Deathclaw’s roars outside and screams of agony. Rabbit thought that junkyard must’ve been entirely full of people for the Deathclaw to have so much to eat. Maybe he’d be too full to eat her or her brother for breakfast. Looking around, neither one of them saw a bed, only tables. Packrat improvised. He climbed onto one of the tables, laid his pack down as a pillow, and made that his bed for the night. Rabbit made an unpleasant face as the thought of having to sleep on such a hard surface. “What? It’s better than sleeping on the dirty floor.” Packrat told her as he rolled onto his side to get comfortable. Rabbit sighed, knowing her brother had a valid point, then pushed a table closer to him and tried to get on top of it. She had a hard time doing so because she was quite short, she couldn’t have stood taller than 5’3” (160cm) and her brother wasn’t much taller than that. It took her a bit of effort to hop up on the table, she couldn’t just climb up Packrat did, but finally made it. Packrat was out within a few minutes, Rabbit on the other hand took much longer. She didn’t have a lot on her mind, just home and the people she missed - like Knock Knock and Knick Knack, another pair of twins that lived in Little Lamplight. They understood what it was like to be a twin, to just know when something was wrong with their sibling. To have that bond. It wasn’t something you could get rid of, not that they’d want to. The girl, Knock Knock, was one of Rabbit’s best friends until they had to leave. They were a bit older than Rabbit and her brother, but not much. She missed them and frequently wondered if they were okay. Now that they were out in the Wasteland as well, maybe they would run into them somewhere. Rabbit hoped. Then she began to wonder about the younger kids, like Bumble, who was only 9. Maybe Bumble would become Mayor someday. She thought about MacCready, how he ensured they felt like they fit in. Rabbit wondered if they’d cross paths once he became old enough to be forced out of Little Lamplight. She hoped he wouldn’t head towards Big Town, it might be too dangerous. A thought struck her, she couldn’t allow anyone leaving Little Lamplight to go to Big Town and get massacred or kidnapped by Mutants. Glancing over at Packrat, she grabbed a pistol and a switchblade and slowly opened the door of the shack. It was almost pitch black outside, the sky had turned cloudy and the moon was no longer lighting up the landscape as it had been earlier. Rabbit didn’t set foot away from the shack door before straining to hear any noises that might be coming from the nearby junkyard, but there was only silence. She wasn’t used to that kind of quiet, in Little Lamplight there was always some sort of noise - dogs barking or howling, children talking or laughing, dishes clanking, people walking. This was almost maddening. Slowly, Rabbit walked away from the cabin, sticking to the shadows and keeping her eyes glued on the junkyard.

About an hour later, Rabbit finally made it back to Little Lamplight without getting herself into any trouble. She scavenged around the few buildings there, looking for anything to carve into. A wide piece of plywood dangled loosely from the side of a shack, it was thin but heavy… and most importantly, whole. Rabbit yanked the plywood down and set it against what appeared to be an old bus stop and began carving.

”DANGER! BIG TOWN GONE! SUPER MUTANT ATTACK! UNSAFE!”

She would hope someone would see it and soon… before MacCready or anyone else turned 16. Rabbit felt tired and sat down just inside the bus station, stopping to rest for just a moment. A voice startled her, “What the hell are you doing here?!”

“MacCready! You scared the livin’ daylights outta me.” She said, clutching her chest.

“Where’s your brother? Does he know you’re here?” He helped her to her feet.

“He’s fine... and no he doesn’t. MacCready, I had to come and leave this note for y'all. Big Town is gone. They’re all dead or missin'. Super Mutants kidnapped a few people and killed the rest. I couldn’t let y’all go to Big Town thinkin’ it was gonna be the best life ever. I had to do something. It woulda been on my conscience for the rest of my days if I didn’t.”

“Rabbit, you shouldn’t be here. I appreciate what you’ve done, we all will. But you know the rules.”

“I know, and I’m sorry it’s just that… wait a minute… what are you doin’ outside?”

“Couldn’t sleep. Sometimes I come out here and just sit or walk around. I don’t let the door out of my sight, though.”

“Burnin’ the midnight oil, huh?”

“What?”

Rabbit chuckled, “Nevermind. But, you’re right, I do need to head back. It’s at least an hours walk.”

MacCready took his helmet off and rubbed his head through the scarf that still covered it. “You, uh, need some company?”

She smiled at him, a smile that he felt was brighter than an atom bomb itself, the kind that would light up the entire world. “Naw, I appreciate it though RJ.”

Wasn’t the first time she’d called him that nor was she the first one, but she was the _only_ one he didn’t get pissed at for doing it. “Well, then, take this.” He removed his scarf from around his head and the goggles from his helmet handed them to her. “A gift. It’s not much, it’s all I’ve got, maybe it’ll come in handy for you.”

“Oh… RJ, I can’t take your stuff.” She looked down at the items he’d just put in her hands. “You’ve had these for… for…”  
“Forever, yeah, I know.” He smiled, “How about you give them back to me whenever we see each other again. Hopefully I’ll see you by the time it’s winter again.” Rabbit nodded and kissed his cheek, wiping the tears from her eyes. MacCready was trying to contain his emotions, he couldn’t let her see him tearing up. They parted ways, he went back inside Little Lamplight and she back to her brother. It didn’t feel like it took her as long to return, Packrat was still sleeping. She hopped back on top of the table and finally drifted off. 

Morning came much too early for Rabbit. Her brother, on the other hand, was up and ready to go. “Sister! You gonna sleep all day? Time to get up, gotta see if we can’t find ourselves a new place to stay for a while.” Rabbit groaned and rubbed her eyes, she wasn’t going to tell him she’d been up all night warning the Lamplighters about Big Town because she knew he’d get pissed off. Grabbing their bags and walking out the door, Packrat stuck his arm out motioning for Rabbit to keep behind him. “That Deathclaw may still be around, we gotta be careful.” She giggled to herself because she already knew it wasn’t there anymore. They were in mutual agreement that they were going to head east, away from Little Lamplight. Walking into the dawning sun, they discussed what could be done once they found a place to settle, IF they found a place. 

Rabbit wanted to stick to the roads, it made her feel safe. Packrat on the other hand thought it would be a good idea to stray from them, he felt it would be more likely to find a village that way. Of course, they argued, as brother and sister do about which one was the best idea. Finally they came to an agreement that they would head towards the river to the north, follow it past Big Town and hopefully they’d find another settlement. Slowly the twins crept up on Big Town once again, they could hear Super Mutants arguing close by, they steered clear of that place and as closely to the river as they could, hoping they’d stay hidden… and they did. Eventually Packrat noticed a large dome that looked to be in pretty bad shape. It also appeared to be made out of some thin metal and airplane pieces. “Hey, sis, think that’s a town up there. Let’s head that way and see.” Rabbit agreed. The closer they got to it, the more they could tell that it was actually a village surrounded by tin and wire fencing, in the shape of a partially-finished dome. Walking around to the front of it, they were greeted by a robot - a Protectron, to be exact. And he spoke! “Welcome to Megaton. The bomb is perfectly safe. We promise.” He said as a large jet engine started spinning up, opening the protective doors that guarded the town. “Head on in, Partner. Y’all enjoy your stay now.” The brother and sister just looked at each other, speechless, not knowing what to make of it, but headed inside Megaton anyway.


	3. Civilization

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's some in-game dialogue here from Fallout 3 that happened between the Lone Wanderer and Lucas Simms as well as Moira Brown and Paladin Bael. However, this dialogue takes place, here, between Rabbit and/or Packrat and those NPCs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Figured I'd give y'all the first 3 chapters all at once. 
> 
> Packrat and Rabbit are in Megaton. They get the house. End up exploring. They get lost and find some Brotherhood of Steel dudes.

As soon as Packrat and Rabbit walked through the doors they were greeted by a man wearing a duster and cowboy hat. “Well, I’ll be damned, we haven’t had visitors in quite some time.” He said to the twins. “Name’s Lucas Simms, town sheriff. And Mayor too, when the need arises. I don’t know why, but I like you two! Something tells me you’re all right. So welcome to Megaton! Just holler if you need something.”

Rabbit poked her head around the side of Packrat, “Nice town you got here, sheriff. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

He laughed as if amused, “Friendly AND well-mannered? I think we’re gonna get along just fine. You treat my people nice, and you’re welcome to stay as long as you’d like.”

“Right. Message received.” Packrat said, shaking hands with the sheriff.

“I’m glad we understand each other.” Simms smiled, appreciating the friendly gesture. “Now, is there something else I can help you two with?”

Packrat thought for a second. “Know anything about the area outside Megaton?”

“It’s called ‘The Wasteland’ for a reason. But there are settlements, too, spread all around. The human race is stubborn like that.” Sheriff Simms commented. “To the south you got Rivet City, but don’t bother going to D.C. The place is a warzone.”

Rabbit piped up, “I could use some directions around town.”

“Sure thing, partner. What do you need to find?”

She wasn’t sure if he called everyone ‘partner’ or if he was doing it to subtly make fun of their out-of-place accents. Keeping her mouth shut, she remember her manners and that this was the first place they’d come across where people weren’t trying to kill them. “I need some equipment. Where’s the nearest general store?”

“Moira sells all kinds of stuff at her place, Craterside Supply. Take a guess where it is? Heh heh heh heh.”

“Thanks.” Rabbit said, looking past him towards the center of town. “Let’s discuss this bomb.”

Packrat elbowed her arm, “That’s not really our business, sister.”

“It’s perfectly all right. What about the bomb?” Simms said.

Rabbit rubbed her arm and looked at the sheriff, “Don’t you think someone should disarm that thing?”

“I don’t trust any of the locals to tinker with it. Besides, most people don’t even realize it’s still a threat. And hell, Cromwell and those crazies from the Church of Atom, they worship the damn thing. Why? Do you think you got the know-how to disarm it? For good?”

Rabbit pushed past her brother and the sheriff, looking back at them over her shoulder, “I can see about disarming that bomb for you. I have extensive knowledge about explosives!” Packrat rolled his eyes at his sister’s boasting. 

Simms chased Rabbit down, getting in front of her. “All right. Fine. But listen here. Just take a look at it first. Go easy.” He wasn’t exactly comfortable with trusting a mere child to look at a massive bomb that could decimate the entire town. “If you get the job done, and don’t blow us up, there’ll be 100 caps in it for you.”

Rabbit looked insulted, “Demolition expertise doesn’t come cheap. I want 500 caps.” Her brother stood there, jaw dropped wide open. He knew Rabbit could talk her way _out_ of anything… but he’d never seen her work her charm on mungos.

“That’s pretty steep…” Sheriff Simms said. “Fine. Do it and you’ll get your money. Don’t screw up, or we’ll ALL regret it.” He walked off shaking his head, worrying about whether or not this youngster is going to be the death of them all.

Packrat and his sister wandered down to the bomb that was firmly lodged in the ground, surrounded by irradiated water. There was a man, dressed in rags, standing in that very water preaching, _”Let the men, women, and children of the Earth come forth to gather and behold the power of Atom! Let those who dwell here in this favored land attend now to the words of the Prophet of Atom!”_ The man turned to face the twins and stopped preaching to greet them, “Who do we have here? Could it be? A new addition to our humble little community? Dear children, welcome! Welcome to Megaton! I am Confessor Cromwell, prophet of Atom and father of the undying Glow. Please child, come to the Church any time. Any time at all!”

Rabbit tried to choke back her laughter as her brother asked the strange man to tell him about the Church of Atom. “Why do you worship the bomb?” Packrat asked, genuinely curious.

“Those who were called to Atom during the Great Division were very fortunate. They were permitted to aid in the process of Atom’s creation. We seek the same, both in symbol and in fact and the ‘bomb’, as you call it, represents Atom’s capacity for creation. We kneel before it and ask that Atom call us to aid him. We pray that out of our meager bodies, he will create new life.”

“Well,” Packrat continued, “What is it you believe exactly?”

“The Church of the Children of Atom is based on the idea that each single atomic mass in all of creation contains within it an entire universe. When that atomic mass is split, a single universe divides and becomes two -- thus signifying the single greatest act of Atom’s creation. Occasionally, a divine event occurs and trillions upon trillions of new universes are created. The last such event took place here, about 200 years ago. Where most of the lost children of Atom see that event as simple war and devastation, we see creation and unification in Atom’s Glow.”

Rabbit chimed in, albeit rudely, “What the hell is wrong with you people?”

Confessor Cromwell shook his head in disappointment, “Even knowing the truth, you continue to mock us. How very, very sad.”

Packrat elbowed his sister yet again, reminding her to keep her manners about her. He cleared his throat and looked back to Cromwell. “Confessor, have you ever traveled outside of Megaton?”

“In my youth, I traveled quite a bit. But… that was a different life. I assume that you are seeking information and advice, yes? The only advice that I can offer is this: you will find no wealth in the Wasteland greater than that which you will find within yourself. Bask in Atom’s Glow, and you will understand.”

“Thank you, Confessor Cromwell, for that insightful advice. My sister and I need to be going.” He said tugging at Rabbit’s sleeve.

Cromwell nodded, “Walk in the Glow.”

Packrat tried to drag his sister away from Cromwell and the bomb, but Rabbit was too busy trying to inspect the bomb itself. The bomb appeared inert, but further examination revealed that it was still operational, and still quite dangerous. With the right gear it would’ve been trivial to rig it to explode. To disarm the bomb, however, would take a highly skilled explosives expert - like Rabbit. She popped off the side-plating on the bomb before her brother could get her away from it. Packrat looked as if he was going to fate, like they had narrowly escaped death just then. But the fun part had yet begun. She started cutting wires and re-wiring others, screwing things in, and before they knew it, she had successfully disarmed the bomb. Immediately she went in search of Lucas Simms, who was already walking towards them. He’d been watching when they were conversing with Cromwell, Simms too, almost had a heartattack when Rabbit nonchalantly popped the side-plating off of the bomb. He also noticed when she went rooting around in it’s wiring and replaced the plating, he knew she’d disarmed it. “I’ll be damned!” Simms said to her. “You did it, didn’t you? You disarmed that thing! Here’s your reward. Hell, why don’t you two move in? Could use someone like you. Got an empty place here you can use. Here’s the key and the deed. It ain’t much to look at. But talk with Moira. She’s got random odds and ends you might be able to spruce the place up with.”

Packrat was staring at the key and deed in his sister’s hands, wide-eyed as she thanked Simms for everything he’d just given them. She turned to Packrat and he grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her lightly, “Rabbit! You’re a genius! A got-damn genius! Jesus H., you’ve landed us a home and everything! We’ve got a roof over our heads, beds to sleep in ‘soon as we get to Craterside Supply. Protective walls. The whole nine! It’s like Lamplight for mungos!” He was beaming with pride and joy, pulling his sister in for a hug and planting a kiss on her cheek. 

Having overheard that Rabbit disarmed the bomb, Cromwell ran up behind them amongst the commotion, grabbing a handful of her long hair, yanking her backwards, he hissed at her. “You horrid, horrid, redheaded... SHE-DEVIL! HOW _DARE_ YOU! You will not walk in His Glow, so I will DRAG you through it!” He began to pull her towards the bomb where the irradiated water stood. Cromwell shoved her face into it, as if he were trying to drown her, Packrat doing everything he could to separate them. Unable to pry the man’s grip from his sister’s hair, Packrat took a pair of scissor from his pack and with a quick snip, he cut the hair the Confessor had ahold of. Cromwell stumbled backwards into the hands of Sheriff Simms, who immediately arrested him. Rabbit came up out of the water, coughing and sputtering, gasping for air. “Shit, you okay, sis?” Packrat asked, helping her up. 

“Yeah, I guess so. What the fuck was wrong with that guy?!” Rabbit rubbed her face, still coughing up the irradiated liquid.

“Uh, well, you disarmed the thing they were kinda worshipping so… also, had to cut yer hair to get you free. Sorry.”

“Yeah, I kn--- YOU WHAT!?” She screeched, grasping at the shorter strands of hair. “Oh my god! I need a mirror or something!”

“Uh, not before I fix it, okay? Looks like hell right now.”

“UGH!!!” She yelled, stomping up to Craterside Supply. She couldn’t get a mirror until she bought one. Then she was going to make her brother fix the fuck up on her head immediately. Packrat was hot on her heels the entire way up to the general store. “I’m sorry!” He yelled at her. “Would you rather I let you drown?!”

“NO! But you coulda done somethin’ else!” She said, bursting through the door of Craterside Supply, startling Moira and her guard.

“Hey! I heard new folks were in town! Hadn’t had any new faces around here for a few years!” Moira exclaimed in an overly, and annoyingly, perky tone. “Good to meet you! I’m Moira Brown. I run Craterside Supply, but what I really do is mostly tinkering and research. Say, I’m working on finishing a book about the Wasteland -- it’d be great if you could lend me a hand!”

Packrat looked at Rabbit, who was gazing up at the wall. It was an armored Vault suit. They hadn’t seen one of those since that kid from Vault 101 showed up in Little Lamplight. Amazingly, MacCready allowed her in while he was Mayor because she rescued some of the other kids who had been taken. “Where’d you get the Vault Suit back there?” Rabbit inquired.

“I’m pretty sure I remember a girl coming into town with that about two, three years ago. She didn’t know a thing about the Wastes, and I know she’d get herself hurt without some sort of protection. So I offered to armor her Vault suit. In a big way, she helped me write most of this book. Even gave me her Vault suit as a parting gift. Never saw her again -- probably died out there, poor thing. Suit’s yours if you help me finish this last chapter.”

Packrat saw the gleam in his sister’s eye... “I remember her. Last time we saw her was also 2277, when she visited the town we were living in.” Rabbit reached up and lightly touched the fabric that hung off the wall. “All we gotta do is help finish the book and I can have it?” 

“That's it.” Moira chirped. 

“Lady, you got yourself a deal!”

“More like a lab rat. But same thing right?” Moira said. 

“Uhhh… I don't-” 

“All right, then!” Moira interrupted. “Now, this last chapter is just about day-to-day dangers. Like the dangers of radiation! I need you to get a bit of radiation poisoning so I can study its effects. Oh, not a lethal dose, of course - I can fix you up before that!

“Fear not!” Rabbit exclaimed. “With my cast scientific knowledge I can explain this one myself without the need for radiation exposure.”

“Oh, but nothing beats a real-world example. And I have a new rad treatment I was just itching to try out on a live subject! But, I guess you're right, and at least it keeps you safe and sound for later testing. Now for the next task…”

“Actually, before we go any further,” Rabbit said. “I hear you're the person to see about buying stuff for our house.”

Moira nodded, showing Packrat and Rabbit all the themes she had for the home. Once they agreed on a pre-war theme, they headed back to their new home to set it up and rest for a few days. To their surprise, they even had a Mr. Handy named Wadsworth! Packrat enjoyed him the most due to his ability to tell horrible jokes. Unfortunately, they also discovered that they only had one bed. Of course, neither of them wanted to make the other sleep on the couch and simply agreed to share the bed - Rabbit got the inside next to the wall, while Packrat slept on the outside. Their preferences. After the house was set up and to their liking they made it back to Craterside Supply to talk to Moira. 

“Oh good, you're back! I'm really excited about this next part! I hesitate to ask, but I'll need to examine the effects of serious physical trauma. I wouldn't ask if I couldn't fix you up afterwards, of course!” Moira smiled. 

Packrat turned to his sister. “No.”

“Come on! I want that Vault suit! She said she could patch me up after.”

“No!” He exclaimed. He was about to pull her out of the store when she ran through the door and took a flying leap off the balcony to the ground below. “RABBIT!” He yelled over the railing, looking down at her limp body below. He ran down to her, picked her up and rushed her back to Moira. “Here's your damned injury! Now fix her!” Packrat was furious. Moira nodded as she pulled out some Super Stimpaks and administered them to Rabbit, dosing her with a bit of Med-X for pain. 

Packrat carried his sister home and placed her in bed while she slept. He went back towards Moira’s to tear her a new one for even suggesting they severely injure themselves all for some stupid book. He flung the door open to see Moira wide-eyed with something in her hands. “A gift!” She said. “As a kind of peace offering. Take it.” He looked at the present she'd given him. 

“Does it work…?” He asked. 

“Well… no… but with some effort and know-how it should be up and running like new in no time!”

Packrat sighed and thanked the deranged woman and walked out. On his way back home he ran into Sheriff Simms, who was very curious to know all about Packrat and Rabbit. Packrat didn't mind and told him the short version of who they were and where they came from. They started talking about how much Packrat liked to adventure and collect things. 

“I’m just looking for a great adventure. My sister and I lived in a cavern most of our lives. I wanna to get out, do exciting things. The Capital Wasteland doesn’t seem to have anything like that. Not unless I go to D.C., which I don’t want to take my sister there.”

Simms nodded his head, “Haven’t you been told? California’s full of whiskey, women, and gold.”

“Are you sure?”

“Sure, I’m sure.” Simms said. “Plenty of caravans that stop in that are heading west or coming east. Had Crimson Caravan come through here at one point, they’re from Nevada. New Vegas to be exact. Mojave Wasteland is a desert, but lotta work to be had out that way. You get on with Crimson Caravan and I bet you’ll have a lot of adventures… and make some decent caps, as long as you don’t get killed for them. Being in the caravan business is a dangerous life, far as I know it pays good, though. If it’s something you’re wanting to do, I can let you know the next time I see them around.”

Packrat nodded, “That’d be great, thanks Sheriff.”

“No problem, kid.”  
\-----

When Rabbit woke up, she sat up, opened the Nuka-Cola next to her and drank half of the bottle. She noticed her Vault 101 suit neatly folded on the desk. She immediately grabbed it, inhaling the smell of the fabric. It smelled like the Lone Wanderer. And slightly of Little Lamplight. Slowly, she got herself out of bed and went downstairs to find Packrat on the couch tinkering with something. 

“Whatcha got there, bub?” She asked, causing him to jump. 

“Oh, good. You're awake. Well, I got a little extra somethin’ from Moira for not throttling her. She said I had to fix it but, you know, I can fix anything... so here, a gift.” He walked over to his sister, put the Pip-Boy 3000 on her wrist, and booted it up. “To go with yer new Vault suit.” Rabbit squealed with excitement and hugged him tightly. 

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

“You're welcome.” Packrat said, pulling her over to the couch and sitting down with her. Rabbit’s face was glowing, almost as if she’d been playing in too much radiation. “How about we test that thing out and see what kind of exploring we can do out in the Wasteland?”

“Okay! Let’s stock up on ammo ‘n stuff first, though.” Rabbit said, still beaming.

“Of course! Guess we could go see nutty Moira again.” He laughed. “No more jumping offa the balcony!”

“Heh heh. Deal.” She grabbed her Vault 101 suit and pulled it on. “Do I look authentic?”

“Shit yeah, you do! If I didn’t know ya, I’d sure think you were a Vault Dweller. Well, ‘cept for that terrible haircut I gave you.”

“Aw hell, I forgot all about that! FIX IT.” She tugged at her own hair. Packrat sat her down and pulled out a pair of scissors, fixing her hair as best he could. It didn’t look bad, but it definitely wasn’t straight. He’d lopped off about 5 inches worth when Cromwell had ahold of it. Packrat figured it would probably do Rabbit some good, she wouldn’t get it caught in anything. Or, well, that was the reason he was giving himself so he wouldn’t feel as badly. Once he’d gotten done with her hair, they went to Moira’s and stocked up on ammunition… Rabbit even bought a baseball bat. “What in the world do ya think yer gonna do with that?” Her brother asked, rolling his eyes.

“Crack some domes.” Rabbit said, making a swinging motion.

“Domes?” Moira had to ask outta curiosity. “You… what…?”

“She means she’s gonna wallop someone in the head with that thing.” Packrat specified to her, hoping she got the clue this time.

“Yeah,” Rabbit added. “I’ma beat people to death with it if I run outta ammo.”

“Oh…” Moira sounded concerned. “Well… you sure are ambitious!” 

Rabbit rolled her eyes as Packrat tried to stifle his laughter. They had no idea where they were going when they left Megaton, but they were on a mission for adventure. Packrat made sure his sister stayed beside him or close behind him, ensuring she was within arm’s reach. The more time he spent around her, the more he seemed to care about her, which he didn’t know was possible. The two had been inseparable their entire lives. Sure, they were fraternal twins, but that didn’t make it a requirement to get along as well as they did. Packrat felt ashamed at the extent of feelings towards his sister, it was enough that anytime she seemed the slightest bit interested in a boy, Packrat would get jealous. He wasn’t sure if he had legitimate romantic feelings towards her or if it was because he was afraid a boyfriend would monopolize too much of her time and they wouldn’t be as close anymore. Either way, to him it didn’t matter, he just wanted to make sure he kept her safe. As long as she was safe, he was happy and content.

The twins had ventured a good ways out before noticing they had, unfortunately, made it to D.C., an area neither of them really wanted to visit. They ended up somewhere in the Mason District South, or at least that’s what the sign said. They were lost. Extremely lost. They had no idea how they found their way to that location, nor how they’d find their way out and Rabbit’s pip-boy wasn’t much help because it kept malfunctioning and rebooting. Packrat knew he could fix the pip-boy, but not until they returned to Megaton. Suddenly, the pair could hear talking, peering over some busted concrete they looked down and spotted several Super Mutants. Rabbit couldn’t stop looking at them - yellow, big, and ugly. “You s’pose they’re meaner than they are ugly?” She asked her brother, laughing. 

“WHAT WAS THAT?” The Mutant with the minigun yelled out to his brothers.  
“Shit, shit, shit.” Packrat said quietly, grabbing his sister and pulling her into the nearest Metro Station. “Are ya trying to get us killed? Because that’s how ya do it, right there.”

“Oh, stop yer naggin’.” She said, rolling her eyes. “They didn’t even see us. We’re okay.”

“Yeah but now we’re stuck in this station and we can’t go back out this gate because we don’t know if the Mutants are out there looking for us or not.”

“Well,” Rabbit said cheerfully, “You said you wanted adventure. Here it is. Let’s adventure our way through this place and find a different exit.” 

“Okay, but let’s make sure the safety is off on our weapons in case we end up face-to-face with something that ain’t as friendly as we are.” Packrat told Rabbit, while turning the safety off on his 9mm. His sister nodded to him and did the same thing with her Chinese pistol. The Metro Station took them upstairs, downstairs, around in circles. It was difficult for the two to determine which way they were going because of the rubble. Finally they made it to an area with some broken subway trains and an escalator that led them upstairs. They had only killed a few Mirelurks along the way. Once they got up that escalator though, that was a different story. Everything was walled off, almost like a settlement. It was a settlement alright… for Raiders. They opened fire on Packrat and Rabbit, prompting them to duck behind a wall that seemed sturdy enough to protect them for a bit. Packrat told Rabbit that once they heard the Raiders having to reload, they’d make a run for it, and that she was going first. If anyone was going to get shot in the back, he was going to make damn sure it wasn’t her. As soon as they heard the clicks of empty chambers, he shoved his sister out from behind the wall and into the tunnel that was just past them. Packrat made a run for it as well, right behind her, but they could hear clips being shoved into pistols, no way was he going to make it unharmed. Rabbit wasn’t going to stand by and let her brother get shot either - he was just as much her responsibility as she was his. As he ran in front of her, she could see a Raider jump out from behind a wall and aim a pistol at Packrat’s back. Rabbit took a deep breath, stepped out, aimed the pistol and made the shot. The bullet whizzed just over her brother’s right shoulder, and into the throat of the Raider that stood behind him. Packrat spun around, seeing the Raider drop to his knees on the floor, clutching his throat, gasping for air. Rabbit grabbed her brother and pulled him behind the tunnel wall as they heard more footsteps running up, probably to check on the fallen Raider. The twins quietly made their way up to and out of the next gate they found at the end of that tunnel. 

Once the pair got outside, Packrat turned to his sister, wide-eyed. “Rabbit, you… saved my life.”

“I couldn’t just let that guy shoot you.” She appeared as if she were in total shock.

Packrat put his hands on her arms, “Are you okay?”

She nodded. “Yeah… just… just never killed another human being before. Wounded, sure, maybe one or two. Never killed anyone that wasn’t mutated all to hell, though.” Packrat rubbed up and down her arms to try to comfort her because she seemed pretty bothered that she did more than wound the man. They didn't speak much for a while after that, just tried to find their way through the maze of deteriorated and decimated buildings they had managed to get themselves into.

\-----

Eventually, they did find their way out and ended up around a river. “Pip-boy says this is the Arlington Memorial Bridge. And that weird looking building with the massive door is something called Citadel.” Rabbit looked at her brother, “Wanna… go check it out? There’s some guys standing outside in power armor… must be Brotherhood of Steel.”

“We don’t know a damn thing about the Brotherhood. They may not be friendly.” Packrat was only trying to be cautious. 

Rabbit scoffed. “Uh, hello, we came across those other Brotherhood-type guys. Guess they were outcasts or somethin’. They were rude, but didn’t try to kill us.”

“Yeah, I’m amazed with the attitude you were about to give ‘em that they didn’t.”

Rabbit just rolled her eyes and walked over to the man who didn’t have a helmet on to introduce herself. Maybe they could even luck out and stay there for the night. She strolled up to the man and opened her mouth to speak, but he interrupted. “Name’s Paladin Bael. What do you need, civilian?”

Rabbit looked at him curiously. “What is this place?”

“You’re standing in front of the Citadel, headquarters to the Brotherhood of Steel. Capital Wasteland detachment.”

Rabbit rolled her eyes a little at his extremely bland persona. “What can you tell me about the Brotherhood of Steel?”

“I can see you’re trying to appeal to my good nature. Pity for you, I don’t have one. I’ll give you this one for free -- we use our big guns to kill big Super Mutants, so people like you can sleep at night.”

“Listen, _buddy_...” Rabbit began with a very strong attitude, before she could continue, Packrat interrupted.

“Can we come in?” He asked the Paladin.

“Negative.” Bael said, “No Super Mutants, civilians, or traveling salesman allowed. Which are you?”  
“None of the above, ya jackass.” Rabbit mumbled to herself, getting elbowed by her brother.

Packrat asked the Paladin politely, “Why not?”

The Paladin, replied, sounding very snide, “You’d have to secure the permission of Elder Lyons to go in, and well… I just don’t see that happening. So you need to move along.”

All while the Paladin was being an asshole to Packrat, Rabbit spied an intercom on the wall and pressed its button, prompting a response. “Yes?”

“Excuse me, my brother and I are lost and it’s dark. I’m scared. We’re only children. Can we come in just for the night?”

“Who is this? Where’s Paladin Bael?” The voice said back. “Bael!”

Paladin Bael heard the commotion, shoved the girl out of the way, “O-oh, uh, Elder Lyons, I’m so sorry. There are too travelers out here that were asking questions, I didn’t notice one of them had gotten to the intercom. I assure you, they’re being sent on their way as of right now.”

“Wait…” Lyons said, “Are they children?”

“Uh, I’m really not sure, Elder. I didn’t ask their ages.”

“We’re 16, sir!” Rabbit shouted from behind Bael.

“16? They won’t stand a chance in this area at night. Let them in Bael. We can allow them to stay until morning, then send them on their way.” Lyons commanded.

“But, Elder, that’s again protoc-” Bael was interrupted by Lyons.

“Are you questioning my orders, Paladin”

“No, Elder. I’ll let them in right away.”

“See that you do, Paladin. Have them escorted to A Ring.”

“Right away, Elder.” Paladin Bael said, opening the gate and showing the twins inside. Rabbit grinned smugly and then stuck her tongue out at Bael as she walked past him. Packrat would never be able to figure out how in the world his sister was able to charm her way into and out of things the way she did.


	4. Just One Of Those Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More stuff at the Citadel and a surprising Squire.

Packrat and Rabbit were escorted to Citadel - A Ring, just as Elder Lyons has commanded to Paladin Bael. Once the pair got into A Ring, they were greeted by two Knights of the Brotherhood both on the outside and inside of the door. After they’d made their way past the Knights, Elder Lyons walked up to them, accompanied by a small boy. “I am Elder Lyons and this here is Squire Arthur Maxson.”

Packrat and Rabbit shook both of their hands as Packrat introduced them, “I am Packrat and this is my sister, Rabbit.” Maxson stifled a laugh when he heard the names. Elder Lyons looked at the Squire with disapproval, “Such strange names.” Lyons said, “Surely, those are not your birth names.”

“No.” Packrat said, shaking his head. “When our parents died, we moved to a place called Little Lamplight out to the west of here. Everyone there has some kind of nickname that is a description of an interest, hobby, or skill that they’re good at. They call me Packrat because I scavenge very well and I collect things. They call my sister here Rabbit, because she can hop in and out of a place without being noticed. My real name is Everett, my sister here is Emery.”

Lyons smiled warmly, “Well, if you don’t mind, I would much rather refer to you by your real names than your nicknames.”

Packrat looked at his sister, who shook her head at him signifying that she was not okay with that. He, however, didn’t see a problem with it. “No, we don’t mind. It’s okay if you call us that.” As he said that, Rabbit facepalmed… and got elbowed. Again.

“I’ve instructed Squire Maxson here to show you to where you’ll be sleeping in B Ring tonight. I hope the accommodations are to your liking.” Elder Lyons said, leaving.

Rabbit elbowed her brother back, “Why did you tell him it was okay to call us by our names? I don’t like that.”

“Because, dear sister, we’re mungos now. Only mungos I’ve heard of that had nicknames were military or really bad people… like Raiders.”

“Yeah well, I still don’t like it. Don’t think you should be tellin’ people our names.”

Arthur Maxson cleared his throat, getting the attention of the twins. “H… hail to you, strangers. I am Squire Maxson, loyal servant of Steel. It is… and honor to make your acquaintance.”

Rabbit looked at the boy and smiled, “The honor is all mine, Squire Maxson.” Packrat saw Maxson blush and look away, supposing he’d never had a warm greeting from such a pretty girl.  
“Oh! Well…” Maxson said, “Thank you! Your words are… very kind. Kinder than those I usually hear… Is there… something I can help you with?”

Rabbit asked, curiously. “Aren’t you a little young for all this?”

“Oh, well… you see, I am descended from the great Roger Maxson, founder of our order. I am the last of his line. They say my soul was forged from eternal steel, but I don’t believe that. I’m really just a normal boy. I was sent to the Citadel man years ago, to be fostered by Elder Lyons. But that was before the Western Elders lost, um… faith… in the Elder. I really don’t know if I’ll ever get home. But, well… I kind of like it here. Sentinel Lyons has been very kind to me. She’s taught me so much.”

Rabbit continued, sounded warm and sympathetic towards Maxson. “They don’t actually… make you fight. Do they?”

“No.” Maxson replied, sounding a bit disappointed. “But I could! I know I’m ready! I mean, it would be scary, but… it’s not fair that I have to sit inside while the Knights go on patrol! I did go out one time, you know! Sarah… um… Sentinel Lyons took me out. Just to show me. I killed a Super Mutant, too! I swear! I, um, I also sort of shot Sarah. But just a little! It was just a flesh wound…” Packrat could tell he was trying to impress Rabbit. His jealousy started up, but he kept it under control. Maxson was just a small boy, after all.

“Well, that’s impressive!” Rabbit exclaimed, humoring him. “Especially for… uh… how old are you?”

“13.” Maxson said, sounding proud.

“Wow! That sure is impressive for a 13 year old. Heck, it’s impressive for anyone really!”

“Thank you! How, um, how old are you and your brother?”

“We’re barely 16.” Rabbit said.

“That’s still pretty young. Uh, what are you doing out here? Don’t you know it’s dangerous?”

“Actually, we were exploring and we got totally lost.” She replied. “We didn’t mean to end up all the way over here.”

“Oh. I heard you tell Elder Lyons that um, your parents… are dead? Mine are too.”

“Yeah. We had to leave our home because Raiders came in and took over. Packrat and I got out of town okay, our parents… didn’t. That was 4 years ago. Fortunately for us, we were close enough to Little Lamplight at the time. That’s a town that’s kids only. They let us in and, well, that’s just where we lived until recently. In Little Lamplight, the rules are that once you turn 16, you gotta go.”

“Why?”

“Because, they don’t allow mungos… er, adults. When you’re 16, they consider you an adult.” Packrat explained. “Now, you should probably show up where we can sleep for the night before Elder Lyons comes along and finds us just standing here.” He really wanted to get away from the boy because of the way he kept eying Rabbit - it made Packrat uneasy.

“Oh, yes. I forgot. I’m sorry. Right this way.” Maxson said. He held the door open for Rabbit, “After you, miss.”

“Thank you, Squire.” Rabbit said with a smile, patting him on the shoulder.

The boy looked around, “When the adults aren’t around, you can just call me Arthur.”

Rabbit winked at him, “Okay… Arthur.”

Maxson showed the pair to a room that had two small beds in it, a dresser, and a couple of chairs that looked really uncomfortable. “Here it is.” The boy said. “Hope it’s okay. It’s the only spare room we have, I think.”

“It’s fine, Arthur, thank you.” Rabbit said, giving him a hug. 

Maxson was stunned at the polite and friendly gesture from the strange girl. “Can I ask you a question, Miss Emery?”

“Sure can.” Rabbit said, flopping down on the bed.

“Do you know how to kill a man by stabbing him in the kidneys?”

Packrat burst into laughter, prompting a hard elbow from his sister. “Pay no attention to him, Arthur. He’s only laughing because yes, I do know how to do that, along with many others ways.” Packrat looked at Maxson, he could tell the boy was highly impressed.

“We should get some shut-eye.” Packrat told the Squire.

Arthur nodded and looked at Rabbit, “May we speak again soon.” He said as he took his leave.

\-----

Whenever Rabbit finally fell asleep, Packrat, being the adventurer he is, decided he wanted to explore a bit before sleeping. He knew they’d have to head out as soon as the sun rose, so he wanted to have a look around first. Leaving the room they were staying in, he passed by another room with the door partially opened. He peeked in and saw Squire Maxson typing something up on his terminal. Packrat was curious what it was about, he’d go back and look once Maxson was either asleep or simply not in there. The Knights didn’t seem to mind him looking around, as long as he didn’t touch anything, which he could understand. Although, he did get a firm ‘get out’ when he went into the Lab. He saw what looked to be part of a massive robot of some kind, but he didn’t get to check out anything else. Once bored, Packrat decided to head back towards where his sister laid sleeping. Upon passing Maxson’s room, he noticed the boy wasn’t in there. So he looked up and down the nearing hallways to see if anyone was around. When the coast was clear, Packrat sat down at the terminal, very easily hacked into it, and ready the three diary entries. The first one was only complaining about someone in the lab, the second was about Sentinel Lyons teaching him to kill a man and thinking he may be in love. The third entry, on the other hand, had been written earlier that night… and it was about Rabbit. The entry read:

 _‘Two strangers showed up here tonight. Just kids, a little bit older than me. The boy, Everett, seems pretty nice. His sister, Emery, is amazing. She can kill a man by stabbing him in the kidneys, just like Sarah can, but Emery knows a bunch more ways too! I know I just met her, but I definitely think I’m in love.’_ Packrat was absolutely fuming and he wasn’t even sure why. That kid was of no interest of Rabbit’s, he was much too young for her. Packrat stepped back from the terminal and went to lay down in his appointed bed. He stared at his sister a bit before rolling over, wondering if the way he felt about Rabbit was wrong. It was just one of those things, he guessed. Eventually, he dozed off.

\-----

The next morning, Squire Maxson walked into the bunk where the twins were sleeping. Elder Lyons had instructed him to wake them for breakfast. Maxson, ever so gently, placed his hand on Rabbit’s shoulder and gave her a slight shake, just enough to wake her. “Good morning, Miss Emery, I hope you slept well.”

“I did, thank you, Arthur. I hope you slept well, too.”

Maxson blushed, “I slept okay. Elder Lyons wanted me to wake you for breakfast.” He reached over and tugged at Packrat’s shirt sleeve. “Time to wake up, Mister Everett.” 

“Mrph.” Packrat grumbled. “Five more minutes.”

Maxson looked confused and didn’t want to bothering further, but orders were orders, and so he hesitated before looking at Rabbit. “Don’t worry about it.” She said, “I’ll wake him up. You can wait for us in the hall. We’ll be out very shortly.” Maxson smiled at her, warmly this time, nodding his head and walked out into the hallway.  
Rabbit reached over and punched her brother in the arm, “Wake up, lazy bones! Breakfast time! Last time we had a hot meal was when we left Lamplight. So c’mon, let’s not sleep away this opportunity!” Packrat grunted as he sat up, rubbing his eyes and his hair. He looked over at Rabbit, who’s hair definitely did not agree with the way she had slept, and burst into laughter.

“What’s so hilarious?” She asked.

“Your hair! Looks like a Brahmin came up and licked the top of your head in the middle of the night!” Packrat said, trying to catch his breath. Rabbit ran over to the nearest mirror and looked at the abomination that was supposed to be her hair. “Augh! My hair is awful!” She poked her head out into the hallway, motioning for Maxson. “Hey Arthur, is there any way you can bring me a hairbrush… or… something? I can’t show up to breakfast lookin’ like this.” She said, pointing at the mop on top of her head. “Right away, miss.” He said, running off to fetch her a hairbrush.

In no time at all, Maxson returned. “This one is mine.” He said, “I hope you don’t mind using it.”

“Thank you so much, Arthur. I don’t mind at all.” She said as she brushed her hair. She handed it back to him with a polite thank you, and headed to breakfast with her brother and the Squire. “Hash browns!” She squeaked, “Packrat! Hash browns! Last time we had these was when Eclair was still in Little Lamplight!”

Maxson looked at her, “Who, uh, was Eclair?”

“Eclair was the cook in Little Lamplight for a time. But, then, he turned 16.” She said.

“And he had to go, huh?” Maxson said.

“Yep.” She replied, “As we all do, eventually.”

The Squire watched Rabbit shovel food into her mouth with a gleam in his eye. Packrat didn’t know why, just that he didn’t like it. He didn’t know what Maxson was thinking and he probably didn’t want to. Punching a little kid in the face wasn’t exactly at the top of Packrat’s ‘to-do’ list, so he kept his jealousy under control.  
*********  
Maxson sat there, watching Emery, enjoying that she was happy. The only thing the Squire kept thinking to himself was: _‘I’m gonna marry that girl, someday. Somehow.’_ He could feel the tension coming from her brother, though, unsure as to why. Maybe Everett somehow read his terminal. Maybe he just didn’t like him. Maybe he was overprotective of Emery. Arthur didn’t know why, and he didn’t really care. Emery liked him, or seemed to, and that was plenty. He knew the Elder wanted Emery and her brother gone after breakfast, but a small part of Maxson hoped Lyons would change his mind at the last minute and let them stay, permanently. He knew it wouldn’t actually happen, but he could hope.  
*********  
After breakfast, Lyons met with Packrat and Rabbit. “I’m sorry, but unfortunately, it’s time for you to be moving on. I wish I could let you stay, but that goes against Brotherhood policy. I can’t allow you to stay, as civilians.”

Packrat nodded, shaking Lyons’ hand, “We understand, Elder. We thank you for your hospitality.”

Maxson looked disappointed, and Rabbit took notice. She sat her pack down on the ground and rummaged through it. She pulled out the scarf and goggles given to her by MacCready the night she left the message about Big Town. Pulling half of the contents from her bag, she found what she was looking for. “Ah-hah. Here it is.” She produced something wrapped in a red bandana and handed it to Arthur. “I want you to have this. It’s a parting gift.” She looked at Lyons to make sure he approved. Lyons only nodded his head and smiled at her. Maxson unwrapped the gift to find a small toy car inside. “I know it isn’t much…” She said. 

“It’s perfect.” Maxson smiled. “Thank you, Miss Emery. I will keep it always.”

“You are very welcome, Squire Maxson.” Rabbit beamed a smile at him. 

Squire Maxson accompanied Elder Lyons and two Knights to escort Packrat and Rabbit out of the Citadel. Before leaving, Maxson ran up and hugged Rabbit, thanking her one last time for the gift. “I don’t have anything to give in return.” He said very quietly.

“It’s okay, Arthur. Your friendship is more than enough of a gift.” She whispered back him.

“I will never forget you.” He said, as he broke the hug with her. “Goodbye, Miss Emery.”

“Don’t think of it as goodbye, Squire. Think of it as ‘see you later’.” She smiled, waving to him. Packrat could only roll his eyes at all of the stupid mushiness. Jealousy was burning a hole in his gut.  
*********  
Arthur watched until the two were no longer within sight. Her words would echo in his head often: _‘Don’t think of it as goodbye, Squire. Think of it as see you later.’_ He would kill to see her again. Her warmth and kindness was something he would never forget. Thoughts of her would keep him awake at night for years to come. On occasion, the sound of her voice would haunt him, waking him in the middle of the night. He would have to physically get out of bed and look around, making sure that she didn’t show up after wandering the wasteland. Arthur always hoped she’d return. Unfortunately, she never did. That never stopped him from hoping, from dreaming.  
*********

“Rabbit…” Packrat said, finally breaking the silence. “When did you get MacCready’s scarf and goggles. I never saw him give those to you.”

“Uh…” Rabbit had been busted, no reason to lie now. “Remember the night we stayed in that abandoned house after we found out Big Town wasn’t safe? Well, after you fell asleep, I couldn’t stand the idea of anyone - MacCready or otherwise - going to Big Town thinking it was going to be the best life ever… only get to killed by Mutants. So, I went to warn them. Bumped into MacCready as I’d sat down to take a break before heading back to you. That’s when.”

“You went to Lamplight… without me… while there was a Deathclaw around!?!” He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You could’ve been eaten!”

“Naw. I played it safe. I didn’t go anywhere without listening for that thing first. I kept to the shadows too, made sure not to make any sort of noise. All that.”

“What in the hell were you thinkin’, Emery?! How am I going to look after you and protect you if you do shit like that?!” Packrat was furious and Rabbit knew it.

“Would you have went with me that night if I had asked you to?”

“No! There was a Deathclaw around somewhere!”

“Okay. Would you have went with me the next morning if I had asked you to?”

“No! We needed to find a place to stay!”

“Okay then, now you know why I went by myself. I couldn’t, in good conscience, go on knowing that at some point, someone we knew would head to Big Town. The guilt would’ve killed me, bub. I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself.” Rabbit grasped his forearm. “Please don’t be mad at me. I only wanted to ensure the safety of our friends. I know that I shouldn’t have went alone… but I also knew that you wouldn’t have let me go either… with or without you.”

Packrat sighed, her touch accompanied by her soothing apology melted away his anger towards her. He knew she was just using her charm against him, like she had everyone else, but he didn’t care. “Fine. Just… don’t go doing anything like that again, okay? Next time, just ask me, I promise to be more considerate towards how you feel.”

Rabbit smiled at her brother, pulling him in for a big hug. “Deal.”


	5. In The Shadow Of The Valley

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Packrat talks to the Crimson Caravan Company.

They arrived in Megaton a couple of days after leaving the Citadel, only because they kept getting lost in the maze of damaged buildings. As soon as they got back home, they went straight for their front door. They were both sick of toting those packs around everywhere. They got heavy when they were getting full. And between the twins, those packs got stuffed. Packrat remember that he had picked something up out of the Metro Station for his sister. He’d forgotten all about it until just then. “Hey, sis, c’mere for a second, wouldja?” He said down on the couch and she plopped down beside him. “Found something while we were lost, thought you might like it.” He pulled the teddy bear out of his pack. Rabbit let out a high-pitched squeal when she saw her gift. 

“Oh my god! It’s adorable!” She said as Packrat sat the teddy bear in her lap. Rabbit wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, giving him a hug and a peck on the cheek. “Thank you!”

“I love you, Rabbit.” He said, grasping her hand for a short moment.

“I love you too, bub!” Her eyes sparkled as she looked at the teddy. He loved her, in a different way than she loved him. He greatly enjoyed making her happy. He knew he would never know Rabbit in the way he wanted - romantically. But he’d do everything he could to keep other guys away from her. Not just because of his severe jealousy problem, but because he couldn’t stand to know someone hurt her, or used her. Because he’d end them. Then she’d hate him. That was something he wasn’t willing to chance. Instead, it would be easier to pull her away from men. To protect her. To maybe someday… no, he had to stop thinking that way. She was his sister, for heaven’s sake. He wasn’t supposed to have romantic feelings about her. Or to want her romantically. Packrat figured it was likely the lack of interactions they’d have with many people, which only meant that he didn’t know any better. That made him feel a little less ashamed about his feelings towards Rabbit… but not much. As he sat think just thinking, Rabbit announced to her brother that she was exhausted and had plans to sleep for three days straight. He laughed and told her he was going to head up to Craterside Supply and replenish their ammunition, maybe look into purchasing a new pistol for the both of them because theirs don’t seem to have enough stopping power for larger things. He also let her knew he would likely stop in at Moriarty’s for a drink or two. That way if she woke up and couldn’t find him, she’d know where to look. Rabbit hugged him and carried both of their packs back to the house. She hugged him once more, and with teddy bear in tow, she went upstairs and laid down.

Packrat checked on her periodically. He would pretend to be messing with the medical station or getting an ice cold Nuka-Cola. Once he knew she was asleep, he sat a Nuka-Cola on the desk next to the bed, brushed her hair back from her eyes, and kissed her forehead. He went back downstairs, grabbed most of the caps he had stashed away inside his pack and walked out the front door. He couldn’t continue thinking about her the way he had been, it wasn’t right and he knew it. But he couldn’t seem to help it. Thoughts of her would just sneak into his head, often times he wasn’t able to push them back out, either. But she was his world, how else was he supposed to see her other than for what she was?

“Hey kid.” Sheriff Simms called over to Packrat, snapping out of his daydream. “Caravan’s in town. They’re from out west… think I saw ‘em heading into Moriarty’s if you’re still interested in talking to them.” Simms said, pointing upwards at the pub.

Packrat gave a polite nod to Simms, “Thank you. I’ll go do that.”

Simms tipped his hat, “ You’re welcome. Hey listen, son, if you and your sister end up heading west… you be sure to take care of yourselves. And, tell ya what, you make sure you hang onto that house key and the deed. If you do actually decide to leave, you’ll always have a place right here in Megaton to come back to. If you don’t come back, well, I guess that house will just have to remain vacant until it tumbles. Your sister did me a real favor disabling that bomb… did the whole town a favor. I’d hate to see you two leave already, but sometimes adventure calls. At least you can take comfort in knowing you’ll have a home should your travels bring you this way.”

“Thanks, Sheriff Simms. If we do leave, we won’t ever forget you or Megaton. Hopefully, we can get on with Crimson Caravan and visit frequently.”

“Believe me, son, I won’t soon forget either of you.”

\-----

After scaring the crap out of Moira and buying two 10mm pistols and ammunition, he headed up to Moriarty’s. When he walked in, surprisingly, there was a Ghoul behind the bar, banging on a radio. “Aggh! Come on, you piece of junk! Every day, it’s the same damn thing…” He said in an extremely gravelly voice.

“I told you Gob, it ain’t the radio.” A woman standing close by said to him. “The Enclave station comes in fine. It’s Galaxy News. Their signal’s been shit lately.”

“Goddamn radio!” Gob banged on it some more. “Come on!”

Packrat walked over to the bar just as the woman walked away and cleared his throat, getting Gob’s attention. “Hey smoothskin, do you need something? A drink, maybe? Anything? Anything at all?”

Packrat put his hand to his chin, “Let me think about it for a moment, my good man.”

Gob flinched and then looked at him as if surprised. “Wait… you’re not going to hit me? Yell at me? Not even berate me a little?”

“I hadn’t planned on it.” Packrat said, looking confused.

“Well now.” The Ghoul said, relieved. “That’s a surprise! I’m used to every asshole smoothskin in this town giving me shit just because I look like a corpse. I’m glad to see that there are a few worthwhile people around here. Listen… Moriarty’d have my head if he caught me selling at a discount, but for you, I’ll risk it.” 

“Thanks, friend. I do have to admit, I was a little worried when I saw you. Not because you look different, but since my sister and I left Little Lamplight, the only ghouls we’ve come across have all tried to kill us.”

“Little Lamplight, yeah, I think I’ve heard of that place. Bunch of kids, isn’t it?”

“That’s the place. Rules are once you turn 16, you can’t stay there anymore. My sister and I are twins, and just turned 16 about a week ago. Hasn’t been easy.”

“Sounds rough, kid.” Gob put a beer on the counter. “Don’t tell anyone, but it’s on the house. I’m sure you could probably use it.”

Packrat picked the beer up, thanked God and looked around. To the right of where he was sitting was another room that had a few chairs in it, which were occupied by other people. He wondered if those were the caravanners Simms had told him about, so he approached them. “Excuse me, sorry to interrupt, but I heard there were some folks in town with Crimson Caravan. Are you them?”

“We are.” A man nodded. “What can we do for you?”

“The Sheriff said y’all came from out west. That true?”

“Yes it is.”

“California?”

“Nevada. New Vegas, to be specific. We travel this route often. Well, if you can call it that. Takes quite a while to get from there to here.”

“Oh? How long?”

“Well, let’s see. Weather, terrain, and danger have a hand in how long it takes. On a good trip, I’d say roughly 2 months.”

“TWO MONTHS!?” Packrat said, damn near spitting his beer out.

“Yeah. Used to take a lot longer, but Crimson Caravan has expanded its business so we have access to wagons now. We’re also able to stop and swap Brahmin so we can run them hard without killing them. Takes about 2 months now, on a good run. Can cover about 50 miles in 10 hours or so, everything permitting. Shaved about a month off with the carriages and everything.”

“When are y’all heading back that way?”

“In a few days. We’re just here to rest up, do some trading, then we’ll be on our way. Why? You wantin’ to go that way?”

“Might be.” He said. “All depends on how much money y’all are gonna gouge me for.”

“Hmm.” The man rubbed his head, looking at the other caravanners. “Tell ya what, kid... I won’t charge you. You help us do some trading and shoot anything that gets too close, and you’ve got yourself a deal.”

“Do you have room for two, though?”

“Yeah, we got room. You wanna go with us, and we’ll meet you here at the crack of dawn in two days. How’s that sound?”

“Mister, you’ve got yourself a deal. We’ll be here in two days.” Packrat shook the man’s hand and took off for the house. He was not looking forward to the coming conversation. His world revolved around his sister, he hated when they fought. But he knew that he was likely about to start a fight between them considering they’d only been living in Megaton for a few weeks. Packrat almost didn’t want to bring it up, to leave well enough alone. But there wasn’t any way he could stand staying in Megaton… or even the Capital Wasteland… knowing about the potential prospects out west. The possible adventures. The scavenging opportunities. He had two days to convince Rabbit that California was the place to be. The question was, though… could he succeed?


	6. Home On The Wastes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Packrat talks to his sister about going to work for the Crimson Caravan Company and heading west. Rabbit apologizes to Cromwell.

“Rabbit?” He said, giving her a gentle shake. “Hey, wake up, I need to talk to you about somethin’.” Rabbit groaned as her brother shook her awake. She rolled over and looked at him, waiting to hear what he had to say. “Um, I wanna tell you something… but I’m afraid you’re gonna get really mad at me.” He said, causing Rabbit to sit up immediately.

“Jesus, Everett! You don’t start shit out like that! Christ! What did you do?” She said, already sounding agitated.

“Nothin’... well, not yet.” He looked downwards, trying not to look his sister in the face. “I, uh… I don’t wanna stay here in Megaton. ‘Least… not right now.”

“What?! Why?!” 

“Rabbit, listen… there’s a caravan here in town. They’re from way out west - New Vegas. I talked to ‘em while I was at the bar. They said there’s a ton of work to be had out that way, we could probably get on with the Crimson Caravan company and make some decent caps. It’s just so boring here…”

“Boring? That’s your argument here as to why you don’t wanna stay in this SAFE place?”

“I just… I want us to be able to make some good caps. I wanna give you a life you deserve - a good life. Not… not this.” He took both of her hands into his, “Please, Rabbit. Just give this a chance. For me. For us. We’ve got nothin’ left for us here. Mom and Dad are gone, we’re no longer welcome at Little Lamplight… which is the only home we’ve known since Mom and Dad died. What else is there here? Nothin’. A lotta boring and a lot less caps.”

“Everett… we can’t just up and leave. We got a good thing goin’ here in Megaton.”

Packrat knew she wouldn’t go for it… but at least they weren’t fighting. He had a last resort that he didn’t want to use… but he knew it would be the only way to get her to go to New Vegas. “Emery…” He said, tightening the grip he had on her hands, “I’m goin’ to New Vegas... and I’m goin’ with or without you. So, please… come with me. I don’t wanna leave you behind… but I can’t stay here. I’m gonna go crazy in this place knowing that there’s better for us out there.”

Rabbit couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Would he really leave her in Megaton and head out west? She’d never known a life without him, nor did she want to. “What’ll we do with this place?”

“Sheriff said we can keep it. That way if we decide we don’t like it out west or become caravanners, we always have a place to come back to. He sure appreciates you disarming that bomb in the middle of town a whole lot. He said we’d always be welcome here and that if we never even came back, this house would remind vacant until it fell down.”

Rabbit sighed and rubbed the side of her head. “How long does it take to get to New Vegas… and how’re we gonna get there?”

“The caravanners I talked with said that we could tag along with them. Won’t charge us any caps either, only condition is we help them make some trades and protect the wagon. They already know the route, obviously, they come this way a lot. So along the way, we can just map it out on your pip-boy there so that way we can always find our way back home.”

“And it’ll take how long to get there…?”

“Guy said roughly ‘bout two months.”

“Everett! Have you lost your fuckin’ mind?! You wanna live… for TWO MONTHS… in some wagon with folks we don’t even know?!?”

“They seem real nice. And it’s practically free. Ya can’t knock free.”

“Oh yes I can, and I’m gonna!”

Packrat hugged her. “Please. Come with me. I don’t want to leave you here.”

Rabbit sighed and hugged her brother back, “Dammit, Everett… how’re you always convincin’ me to do some ridiculous shit?”

“So yer goin’?”

“Yeah, I’ma goin’...” When she said that, Packrat squeezed her tightly. She’d just made him the happiest he’s ever been. The only thing that could make this moment better was if they were to… no, not those thoughts again.  
*********  
“Elder Lyons, sir?”

“Yes, Knight?”

“I just came from Megaton and I overheard a conversation between one the two children who were here a few days ago and the town’s sheriff. It seems the kids are likely heading west towards New Vegas. Thought you’d like to know.”

“Yes, thank you Knight. I’ll send someone west to contact Elder McNamara of the Mojave Chapter. With luck, they’ll make it there safely and receive a warm welcome.”

Squire Maxson was eavesdropping when he heard the heartbreaking news of Emery leaving the Capital Wasteland. How would he ever meet up with her again? Maybe she’d hate it out west and return. He ran back to his room, grabbed a pen and a piece of paper and began to write a short note down. Immediately, he took it to a different Knight, practically begging her to deliver it to Emery in Megaton. The memory of her was still fresh in the Squire’s mind. He could still smell her on the red bandana that he would always keep under his pillow. The toy car, he would forever keep in his pocket.  
*********  
The following day, there was a knock at the twins’ door. Rabbit answered it, opening it to see Sheriff Simms standing there, holding what appeared to be a letter in his hand. “Uh, are you Emery?” He said. “Because I was given specific instructions by a member of the Brotherhood of Steel to bring this letter here and give it to Emery. I’m guessing that’s you?”

Rabbit nodded in confusion, “Yeah, um, yeah that’s me. Did he say what it was about?”

“Nope.” The Sheriff said, handing her the letter. “All he said was to give this to you and then he left.”

“Okay, um, thanks.” Rabbit closed the front door and opened the letter. It read: 

_“To Emery,_

_I hope this letter finds you well. I heard something about you and your brother heading west towards New Vegas. It makes me a little sad to hear this because I was hoping we’d see each other again. Since I won’t be seeing you, I wrote you something. As a gift. In return for the toy car you gave me._

  
_From this Wasteland they say you are going_  
_We will miss your bright eyes and sweet smile._  
_For they say you are taking the sunshine_  
_That has brightened our road for awhile._  


_I hope you like it. If you ever come back this way, look me up, I miss you. Stay safe out there. Ad Victoriam - that means “To Victory”._

_Yours,  
Squire Arthur Maxson, MX-001E."_

_P.S. There is a Mojave Chapter of the Brotherhood somewhere around the New Vegas area. Be sure to look them up when you get there._

 

Rabbit couldn’t contain her tears as she read the note. She knew he was only 13, but it was still the sweetest thing someone had ever done for her… that wasn’t her brother, of course. It was better than any material gift Maxson could’ve given. Without telling her brother about the letter, she folded the piece of paper up and slipped it into her pack, being careful not to tear it. She had an idea of what she could put it in… she only needed to find a Mentats tin. Rabbit hoped she would see Maxson again someday. He was a good kid… a little advanced for his age in the romance department, but a good kid. 

Packrat came downstairs just after he woke up from his nap, couple of items in hand - including Rabbit’s teddy bear. “We should start packing, sis. Don’t wanna forget anything here. It’ll be a hell of a long time before we get to come back this way.”

“Good point.” Rabbit said, taking the bear from him. “Definitely need to double, even triple, check everything. But, before we start packing, can you make some adjustments to my pip-boy?”

“Sure thing, whaddaya need?”

“Well, I know there’s a couple of radio stations around here… and I’m sure there’ll be a few along the way. Think you can make it to where it’ll pick those up? You know how I love to listen to music.”

“Say no more. Let your favorite person ever fix that right up for ya.” Packrat laughed and grabbed a screwdriver.

“Thanks, bub. I owe ya one.” She went to plant a kiss on his cheek when he accidentally turned his head, causing her to kiss him on the lips. She thought nothing of it, it seemed. Packrat, on the other hand… enjoyed it, much more than he should have. It sent his mind, and his heart, racing. How could he tell her what he felt? Would she care if he did? Would she hate him? He didn’t know, but eventually, it would eat him alive if he didn’t tell her.

\-----

The next day, Packrat woke his sister just before dawn so they could gather their things and bid farewell to Sheriff Simms and thank him for his generosity. Packrat would go startle Moira once more and give her a hug goodbye to let her know they were on good terms, and he’d hope to see her again. Rabbit also had something she felt she needed to do. Walking past the bomb she had disarmed weeks ago, she went up the stairs and opened the door to the Church of Atom. She saw Confessor Cromwell sitting on a pew, catching his attention as he let the door shut. He stood up, “What are you doing here, you wretched girl?”

Rabbit walked right up to him and threw her arms around him, hugging him. “I’m so sorry about what happened, I had no idea you would take it that badly. I knew you worshipped that bomb, but I didn’t know disarming it would offend you so much. I wasn’t thinking. I only did it for the good of Megaton, that’s all. Sheriff Simms seemed really worried about that thing going off. While I know you worship Atom, not everyone here does. You can’t force them to walk in Atom’s Glow. You gotta stay open-minded if you want them to welcome you and consider joining the Church.”

“Y-you’re… right. I apologize as well for… over-reacting. I should’ve realized you are but a child, you know not what you do.” Cromwell hugged her in return. “But if I may ask, what is it that brought you here today?”

“My brother and I… we’re leaving with the next caravan out. We’re going out west. Gonna be gone for a really long time. I wanted to make amends with you before we left.”

Confessor Cromwell was shocked that she wanted to do such a thing. “Well, thank you. That is a… very commendable gesture. I’m ashamed that I did not think of it before now. I wish you and your brother a safe journey. Should you ever lose your way, do not hesitate to seek Atom. Look always into yourself for answers, because that is where they will always be - do not forget that, dear child.”

“I won’t Confessor, and thank you. When we finally make our way back here, I’ll come find you and tell you about my travels, okay?”

“That sounds wonderful, child. I will hold you to that.” Cromwell said with a smile.

Rabbit knew that she had gotten off on the wrong foot with the Confessor. All it would take it a little tolerance and understanding from the both of them, and they would get along just fine. She wouldn’t ever want to join the Church of Atom, but she respected those who did. She didn’t bash their beliefs, no matter how outlandish most thought they were. Rabbit walked back towards Moriarty’s, where Packrat had told her they would be meeting with the caravanners. As she did so, she wondered if she would come across any Children of Atom out west. She entered the bar, seeing her brother standing with three others - two men and a woman. “You ready to go, sis?” He asked. She really wasn’t… she didn’t want to go… but she didn’t want him to leave her behind either. “Yeah, I’m ready.” She said, hesitantly.


	7. Lone Star

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The twins head out for New Vegas with the Crimson Caravan, making a pit stop in Texas - their home state.

*********  
It was 2281, already. He couldn’t believe it was his time to go. He didn’t want to leave Little Lamplight, but he knew he couldn’t stay. They celebrated, just as they did for everyone else. And just like everyone else, he was afraid. Mayor Zip bid him farewell upon his exit. Stepping foot outside Little Lamplight wasn’t uncommon for him. Only this time, he wasn’t allowed back in. He stood there, outside of the town he called home, looking at the sign his old friend had made for them as a warning a couple of months ago. He had hoped for this moment to come and she would be standing there, with her brother in tow, to greet him with a warm, familiar smile. But she wasn’t. He waited close to Lamplight for almost a week, just in case she would show. But she didn’t. Deep down, he knew she wouldn’t. So, RJ MacCready finally left Little Lamplight to travel the Capital Wasteland.  
 *********

Somewhere around Nashville, Tennessee the group of caravanners ran into some major problems. They were traveling along the I-40 when they ran into a massive gang of Raider that had blocked the highway off to bombard unsuspecting travelers with missile turrets. When the twins’ group got attacked, two of the caravanners didn’t make it. They both sustained injuries too severe to survive. Which took the group from 5 to 3. Luckily, the one caravanner that survived, knew the way. Unfortunately, around Little Rock, Arkansas… the caravanner caught a fatal case of pneumonia and didn’t make it, leaving Packrat and Rabbit to fend for themselves. This stroke of bad luck had turned a 2 month trip into a 4 month trip by the time the twins hit their home state - Texas. Upon crossing the border, Rabbit heard her pip-boy make some static as it picked up a couple of radio stations.

“Hey, bub, wanna listen to some music? We got a few stations here to choose from. Texarkana Talk, DFW Radio, or Texas Republic Radio.”

“DFW Radio. Way out here? Think we’re just now getting close to Texarkana, aren’t we?”

“Yeah, that’s what it looks like.”

“Huh. Well, it really doesn’t matter to me. Probably should stop when we get to Texarkana though to replenish our supplies. Make sure we’re goin’ the right way. This trip has taken us way longer than I wanted it to.”

“Yeah, okay. We can do that.” Rabbit said, tuning her pip-boy to Texas Republic Radio.

_‘Howdy, to all y’all listenin’ out there.’_ The voice on the radio said. _‘I’m your host, Ramblin’ Ronnie, an’ yer tuned into th’ best damned radio station east of Dallas-Fort Worth: Texas Republic Radio. Got some good music for ya, comin’ up. But first, some news. Little Birdy told me there’s a big group of Marauders somewhere along Highway 67 near I-35W, so be careful when yer travelin’ in th’ southern part of the metro. Keep them guns handy. As we say here on TRR: if you ain’t packin’, you ain’t livin’. Now, here’s some Hank Williams his song with Jambalaya On the Bayou. Enjoy._ The music radiated from the radio: _‘Goodbye, Joe. Me gotta go, me oh my own. Me gotta go pole the pirogue down the bayou. My Yvonne, the sweetest one, me oh my oh. Son of a gun, we’ll have big fun on the bayou. Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and filé gumbo..._

Packrat and his sister happily listened to Texas Republic Radio the entire way to Texarkana where they stopped to restock their supplies with what few caps they had left, seeing if they could trade anything with others. The found a place to rest for the night next to the general store called Bowie Bed & Breakfast. It was a quaint little B&B, Rabbit thought. Packrat liked it as well, finally there was an indoor bathroom with running water. The pair hadn’t seen an indoor bathroom since just before Memphis. After they paid 25 caps for a room, Packrat expressed his need for a drink. 

“There’s a saloon just over yonder, called Dusty Saddles.” Said the lady behind the desk, “Walk out th’ door here and look right, you’ll see a tree that ought not be there. Take a left on th’ road next to that tree. You’ll see it, s’all lit up, cain’t miss it.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” Packrat said as he headed out the door. He looked left and sure enough, there was a Cottonwood tree growing in the middle of the road. Just after the tree, he took a left and immediately saw the saloon lit up as if it were Christmas in February. Rabbit caught up to her brother quickly, expressing her irritation at him for leaving her behind. As soon as they entered Dusty Saddles, the entire place went silent and all eyes were on the twins.

“Marauders or tourist?” The bartender yelled across the room.

“Neither. Caravanners.” Packrat yelled back.

“Well in that case, pull up a chair and have a seat. Tell ol’ Sam what he can git fer ya.”

“Couple of beers, if you would please, Sam.” Packrat said tossing a handful of caps down onto the bar, “And keep ‘em comin’.”

“You got it.”

The smell of wood burning and hard liquor filled the winter air in the saloon, accompanied by laughter and conversation. Packrat and his sister were downing beer after beer, thoroughly enjoying themselves for the first time since leaving Little Lamplight. Of course, their alcohol tolerance wasn’t exactly up to par, so it didn’t take too long for them to get hammered drunk. But, they continued on drinking and enjoying the atmosphere. 

\-----

Sometime after dark, the pair decided it was time to head back to the Bed & Breakfast to get some sleep before heading out the next day. They had plans to stop in the DFW Metroplex when they made it there because that’s where they were from, originally. So, the needed to get some rest. Once back to their room, they both sat down on their own beds. Packrat looked over at his sister who was swaying along with the music that played on her pip-boy. He loved that she’d been having such a good time, and moved to sit next to her. She gave him a warm smile when he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. He looked at her, and with slurring words, he spoke, “Rabbit, I gotta tell ya somethin’.”

“Mkay bub, shoot.” Her words were slurring worse than his.

“Uh, I don’t know quite how to say this… so I’m gonna just say it. Don’t say nothin’ till I finish, okay?”

“Okay.” She looked a bit concerned.

“Y’know, you’re my sister, and I love you. But, I’ve always seen you in a different light than what I’m s’posed to, I guess. I dunno. I dunno what I’m tryin’ to say, here. Guess I’m tryin’ to say that… well, that I love you. But in a way that a brother shouldn’t be lovin’ his sister.” He looked at her, waiting to see her facial expression turn to disgust… but it didn’t.

“I don’t think I get what you’re meanin’.” Rabbit was genuinely confused.

“Could be the booze talkin’, but what I mean to say is that… well, I don’t see you as my sister. I used to, but I guess being around you so much… that all changed. Dunno if it’s because I wasn’t around any girls that sparked my interest or what. Only girl I’ve ever had a crush on is, well, you.”

“Everett…”

“Now, I know, I know. I’m not supposed to be feeling like that towards you. Believe me, I’ve tried not to. I get so jealous whenever a guy looks at you with interest… because that’s how I look at you. To be honest, it’s quite embarrassing and I’m ashamed about it. I would never hurt you, you know that. I will protect you at any cost. I don’t know that some guy is gonna do that for you. Dunno that any guy will love you the way I do… or as much as I do.” Packrat got closer to her, his face inches from hers as if he was about to kiss her.

 

“We shouldn’t…” She said to him, putting her hands on his chest to push him away. He stopped his advance on her and simply kissed her on the cheek, then went back over to his bed, instantly regretting his confession. They both laid in their beds in awkward silence, and finally, drifted off to sleep. 

\-----

The next morning, they both awoke with splitting headaches from the fun they had the night before. Packrat remembered what he’d told Rabbit but apparently, she didn’t. “What all happened last night?” She asked him, holding her hand up to her head. “I don’t remember a thing after the saloon.” 

Packrat breathed a sigh of relief. “Aw, nothin’, just came back here and went to bed.” He got up to get them both some water in hopes of it getting rid of their headaches. He handed her a bottle and she gulped it down like she hadn’t had water in days. They gathered up their things and threw them back into the wagon and rode out of Texarkana, heading towards DFW. It was about a 200 mile trip on Interstate 30 that laid ahead of them. Packrat figured it would take 4 or 5 days to get there, as long as everything went smoothly at the rate the Brahmin moved. He was right, it took them almost 5 days to get there because they stopped to rest after about 50 miles of being on the move each day. Once they made it to Dallas, Packrat found a Crimson Caravan company to swap out the Brahmin. He remembered the caravaner telling him that it needed to be done so they wouldn’t run the Brahmin to literal death. He asked the man at Crimson Caravan if there was a place to sleep. Packrat was told that there was a hotel nearby, called The Metro Motel, that they could stay at for 15 caps a night. He thanked the man and went back to the wagon where Rabbit was sitting. He let her know they were going over to the motel and assured her there wouldn’t be any drinking done that night. Rabbit walked in and paid for a room while Packrat was getting their belongings out of the wagon. 

The room they stayed in seemed a lot nicer than the one in Texarkana, Packrat said it was only because it was cheaper. They both kicked off their shoes when Packrat looked down and noticed that Rabbit had on two totally different socks, and laughed, “Girl, what are you doin’ runnin’ around here with mismatchin’ socks!?”

She looked down at her feet. “Oh. Uh, got a hole in the other ones. This is my last pair.”

“Your last pair?” He looked at her disappointed. Before they were to head out, Packrat was going to make sure she got some more socks, come hell or high water. He couldn’t have his sister running around without any. 

When Rabbit laid down for a nap, Packrat snuck out to the nearest clothing store in search of socks. He walked in, surprised to see an actual person rather than a Mr. Handy. He greeted the elderly woman with a nod and a smile. She asked if there was anything in particular he was looking for and he told her he needed socks for a woman. She checked the backroom to see if there were any to spare. A few minutes later, the woman handed him a package of 6 pairs of socks. They’d cost him only 5 caps, a deal like that wasn’t one he could turn down. Once he paid for them he returned to the motel room to find Rabbit had woken up and went into the bathroom. Packrat, not thinking, opened the door… what he found was Rabbit taking a shower. 

“Whaddaya want?” She asked.

“Oh, uh, I bought you some socks. Sorry for bargin’ in, I didn’t know you were takin’ a shower.”

“It’s okay,” She laughed, “It’s nothing you haven’t seen before.” Which was true, he’d seen his sister shower plenty of times, but not since they were little. It was a good thing she couldn’t see his face turning red. He walked out of the bathroom quickly and sat down on his bed, thinking about the sight he’d just seen. It was something he wouldn’t soon forget.

Rabbit exited the bathroom, in not much more than a shirt, and sat down on the bed. She looked over at Packrat and noticed he seemed uncomfortable. “Everything okay?” She asked him.

“Yeah. Sorry I just walked in on you like that.”

Rabbit laughed at the sight of him blushing, “It’s okay, don’t think anything of it.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah I’m sure. Why, are you traumatized now?” She laughed again.

“I wouldn’t say that.” He tried to avoid eye contact with her.

“Well, okay, so long as you ain’t scarred for life.” Night fell and they both dozed off. 

It seemed like dawn broke earlier than usual the next morning. Both of them still exhausted. Rabbit tried to convince her brother to stay in DFW for one more day, but he’d told her that they couldn’t afford to, they were running low on caps. They would’ve had plenty of caps to last them the trip had it taken the 2 months they thought it would. Unfortunately, Packrat wasn’t sure they would have enough caps to stay in anything other than the wagon and still be able to afford to eat. “Can we at least stop in Amarillo?” She said with sad eyes. Packrat knew how much his sister loved the scenery in the Panhandle of Texas. He couldn’t make any promises and simply told her that he would know once they made it there. Packrat knew it would take them longer to get from the DFW Metro area to Amarillo than it took from Texarkana to DFW. He figured it would likely take about a week to reach Amarillo, as long as nothing went bad around the I-35W area along the way. They got on highway 287, and headed west for the Panhandle.

A week later Packrat and Rabbit finally made it to Amarillo without a problem. However, Packrat discovered that they were low enough on caps that they couldn’t afford to stop and stay at a motel. It was at that point he decided he would swap out Brahmin every chance he got, and continue on for as many hours at a time that he possibly could before he’d be forced to stop and sleep. Rabbit wasn’t happy about not being able to stop in Amarillo, but she understood. Her brother promised to make it up to her. 

Packrat pushed the Brahmin as hard as he could without killing them. He could cover about 75 miles or so before being forced to stop. He knew that this rate they would hit New Vegas in no less than 2 weeks. And so they went.


	8. New Vegas Valley

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They finally made it.

Twelve days after leaving Amarillo, Texas the twins arrived at the outskirts of New Vegas on I-40W. They could see a few flashing lights and a tall tower from where they were. Packrat told his sister that that was most likely where they needed to go. On random occasion, they would see what appeared to be military personnel patrolling the Mojave. The only military-types they had encountered were the Brotherhood of Steel and they’d merely heard about The Enclave. But these people, they were different. They didn’t wear power armor, only army fatigues and other uniforms that were similar, just more bulky. Periodically, they would see flags flown at the top of flagpoles with a two-headed bear on it, underneath it would read “New California Republic”. Rabbit urged Packrat to stop so she could ask one of the military people who they were, but he declined her request. 

The sun gleamed off of Rabbit’s hair, as Packrat took notice, “Y’know, your hair isn’t red as it was months ago.”

“It’s not?” Rabbit said, puzzled.

“Nope. Sun seems to be bleachin’ it out blonde. Looks good, though.” He commented, as he reached over and rustled her hair. She laughed and tried to straighten it back up. Packrat steered the Brahmin towards the New Vegas strip, Rabbit could see the big sign that read ‘FREe$IDE’. Before approaching a gate, Packrat looked left and saw a workbench in front of some kind of building. “Hey, let’s check that out.” He said, nudging his sister. As they got around to the front of it, they could read the sign: ‘Gun Runners’. “Huh,” He said, “Must be a gun merchant. Let’s go check out his stock.” The twins hopped outta the wagon and walked up to the shop, surprised that it was manned by a robot.

“Hello?” Rabbit said to the Protectron.

“Hello sir or madam.” He replied. “Do you wish to purchase something?”

“That’s some impressive weaponry. Where did it all come from?” Packrat asked.

“All Gun Runners merchandise is constructed on-site.”

“How did you get in there?” Rabbit queried.

“This kiosk was specially constructed around me to deter theft and assault.”

“Huh. Okay, show me what you have for sale, please.” Rabbit sounded amused.

“I am ready to process out transaction.”

The two browsed the robot’s wares, the only problem was how costly everything was. Rabbit and Packrat were proficient in pistols, not rifles… this robot, however, had a rifle that Rabbit fell in love with. Only problem was it was damn near 22,000 caps. Packrat simply wanted a hunting revolver, nothing more, but even that was 3,800 caps. “Jesus, New Vegas is expensive.” Rabbit said. Packrat nodded in agreement and commented, “I s’pose we could find a job ‘round here to do until we come up with the caps for the weapons we want. 26,000 ain’t gonna be easy, but it ain’t impossible.” They climbed back up into the wagon and looked around, noticing a large concrete wall, looked similar to some kind of fort. Leading the wagon over to it, noticing the large tower inside New Vegas and the FREe$IDE sign, they rounded the front and saw a red sign above the doors that read ‘Crimson Caravan’. “WOO-EEE!” Packrat hollered, “So many times we talked about givin’ up and turnin’ back, but here we are! We faced temptation and did not bend! Got-damn praise the lord!” Rabbit keeled over, laughing hysterically as her brother stood up in the wagon and did a silly happy dance. “Let’s get our collective asses in there and talk to somebody!” He said, jumping out of the wagon and opening the large doors. Rabbit steered the Brahmin through the gate as Packrat closed it behind her. He walked up to the first man he saw, “Who’s in charge here?” He asked.

“Alice McLafferty,” The man replied. “She runs the Crimson Caravan. You can find her over in the main office just past that stand there.” He pointed towards the man standing in the middle of the place, singing along with the radio.

“Much obliged.” Packrat said. Rabbit took the Brahmin and wagon and parked it next to the corral and politely smiled to the redheaded woman tending to it. They walked past the man in the booth and up a few steps into the main office. An elderly-looking woman sat in a business suit behind a desk.

“Welcome to the Crimson Caravan Company, New Vegas branch.” She said. “What may I do for you?”

“We traveled here from the Capital Wasteland with some caravanners that work for y’all. They didn’t make it, 2 died in Memphis and the other around Little Rock. Rabbit and I brought the wagon the rest of the way, stopping and swapping Brahmin.” Packrat replied.

“I had gotten word that that caravan never did make it back on time. I expected the worst, seems I was only half right. How old are you, if you don’t mind my asking?”

“We’re both 16, ma’am.” He said.

“Such manners... my, my, 16 and already more responsible than half the people I have around. You’ve come all the way out here, I assume you’re looking to go to work for Crimson Caravan?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He nodded. “We’d like some local work for now, if that’s okay. We’ve traveled really far and took us almost 3 months longer than it shoulda. Kinda wanna stay in the area till we get some caps built back up.”

“Understandable.” McLafferty smiled sympathetically. “I’m afraid we have no current openings for caravanners or guards. When I assumed the worst about your wagon, I went ahead and hired on more caravanners. But, I’m in need of a runner.”

“We’ll take it.” Packrat said anxiously. “What do we need to do?”

“I need you to deliver this invoice to Dr. Hildern. You can find him somewhere inside Camp McCarran.”

“Is that around the area here?”

“Yes, it’s a building that looks very similar to the concrete walls you approached when you found us. When you head out the gate that faces Freeside, look left and you’ll see a fence surrounding a bunch of tents, that’s the NCR Sharecroppers Farm. It’s alright to go through there, they won’t say anything to you as long as you don’t touch anything. When you get through it, there’ll be a road, head right on it towards the ‘Welcome to New Vegas’ sign that’s lit up. There’ll be a Poseidon Energy gas station very close to that. Walk right up to that gas station and turn around, you should be looking right at the front door to McCarren. When you get in there, Hildern will be inside the McCarran Terminal Building, the sign on top of it will say something like McCarran Airport. Go in and walk past the escalators, he’ll be in a lab on the right.”

“Thank you, ma’am. We’ll get it done in no time.” Packrat grabbed his sister and led her back out the door, almost jumping for joy that they’d already found work. Granted, it wasn’t much, but it was a start, and that’s all they needed. 

\-----

With ease, the two found Camp McCarran and when they got in, they got out of the wagon and walked over to the NCR soldier standing behind a pile of sandbags, letting him know that they had a delivery for Dr. Hildern. He nodded and pointed them towards the terminal building.

“McCarran Airport. Las Vegas? Thought it was New Vegas?” Rabbit said, tilting her head to one side in confusion.

Packrat shrugged, “Dunno. Maybe it was called Las Vegas before the Great war.” He opened the door for his sister to go inside the building. Right away, they saw a bunch of odd looking machines, some lit up and some weren’t. There was some kind of airplane hanging from the ceiling of the poorly-lit building. Packrat pointed towards the escalator, “He must be that way.” They walked past the escalators and saw a door on the right immediately after them, so they went through it, almost running into a woman wearing a lab coat. 

“Little busy at the moment. But I can talk,” The woman had an accent very similar to the twins. “Can I help you two with something?”

“Is this the lab?” Packrat asked.

“This? Yes, it’s the OSI lab. We don’t get many visitors though. The smell puts people off, I think. Nobody ever said science would smell clean and fresh. Anyway, you get used to it, if you give it some time.”

“Yeah it smells like someone shit IN my nose.” Rabbit piped up, prompting a rough elbow from her brother.

“Are you Dr. Hildern?”

“Nah. I’m his lab assistant, Angela Williams. Dr. Hildern is in the next room.”

“Thank you, Ms. Williams.” Packrat said, dragging his sister with him. Walking over to the man sitting in front of a broken terminal, he introduced himself.

“A pleasure to meet you!” The man said. “I’m Dr. Thomas Hildern, Director of Operations, OSI East. I presume you’re here about Vault 22?”

Packrat looked puzzled, “No, this is the first we’ve heard about Vault 22.”

The Doctor scoffed, “No, they wouldn’t have briefed you, would they?” He mumbled. “Probably better that our junior fellows stay within the bounds of their pay grade, anyway. Vault 22… where to begin…”

Rabbit spoke up, “Save the sales pitch, we ain’t here about Vault 22. Actually, we have an invoice for you from Alice McLafferty.”

“From Alice? I’ll see that she’s paid right away. Crimson Caravan runs a tight operation, even out here in the waste. Wouldn’t do to keep them waiting. Was there anything else? Or were you just here about the invoice?”

Packrat covered Rabbit’s mouth with his hand, “Just the invoice, sir.”

“All right, well, if you want to help with Vault 22…”

Packrat humored the Doctor with feigned interest. “Sure, what’s it about?”

“Well, straight to the point - I believe that the inhabitants of Vault 22 unlocked the secret of vegetative growth. Plants are spilling from their gate. No one tends them. No one waters them. Yet they multiply and spread in all directions. I want you to go there and find the reason for this miraculous growth, and I promise you, the OSI will see that you are generously compensated.”

Packrat shook his head, “This doesn’t sound like our kind of job.”

“I’m very sorry to hear that.” Dr. Hildern said, looking disappointed. “If you should change your mind, the offer will stand until I fill the position. As will the substantial reward…”

\-----

“I delivered the invoice, just as you asked.” Packrat told McLafferty as they walked inside the Crimson Caravan Main Office.

“Well, you’ve proven yourself reliable so far. Would you be interested in some more important jobs?”

Packrat nodded his head anxiously, “Yes ma’am. What other work do you have available for us?”

“There’s the matter of Henry Jamison, an employee whose services I’d rather do without. His family connections make it difficult, however. The Jamisons are very wealthy ranchers back in Redding, California and significant investors in the Crimson Caravan Company. I was pressured into posting young Henry as the manager of the New Vegas branch. As you can see, he wasn’t exactly cut out for the job. He was much more interested in gambling and prostitutes, and because of his family, I can’t simply fire him. Henry needs to be convinced to quit, one way or another. I won’t have a useless employee on the company payroll.”

Packrat beamed a smile at Ms. McLafferty, “Ma’am, if anyone can convince Mr. Jamison to quit Crimson Caravan, it’s Rabbit here. She could sell dirt to a ditch digger.”

“Good. I’m looking forward to the problem being solved. You’ll find Henry somewhere inside the walls of New Vegas. If I were you, I’d check the casinos first.”

Packrat nodded and they headed straight for Freeside. When they got there, they saw a sign on the side of a building that said ‘Mick & Ralph’s’ and decided to check it out. Maybe they’d have some cheaper firearms. They’d made some money from McLafferty, but nowhere near enough what they needed. Packrat walked up to the man sitting behind a display-case type thing, “Hello.” He said. 

“If you’re looking for guns, talk to Mick. Otherwise, I’ve got a nice selection of general supplies and other services.” Ralph said.

“What are your other services?” Packrat asked him, curiously.

“I can only offer services if The King gives the okay. Impress him and we can talk.”

Rabbit leaned over the counter, gently tugging at Ralph’s shirt collar. “A resourceful fellow such as yourself must have something on the side.”

“All right.” Ralph cleared his throat, “Yeah, I’ve got a little side business going, but what I’m about to share with you does not live with room, okay?” Rabbit nodded and Ralph continued to tell her what she wanted to know, “Over the years, I’ve gradually perfected my craft to the point of perfection. No one can distinguish between my work and the real thing. What I’m referring to is passports. If you’ve got the caps, I can whip up a Strip passport which will fool even the most well-trained eye.”

“Ah,” Rabbit smiled. “Now I see why you want to keep this low key.”  
“Hey, if you’re interested and have the caps, they go for 500. Any less and it ain’t worth the risk of getting caught. What do you say? You game?” Ralph told her.

Rabbit continued playing with Ralph’s shirt collar, leaning closer to him. “No way your materials and expenses require that. How ‘bout half?”

Ralph looked amused. “Hah! I like your style, kid, but the best I can do is meet you halfway. 375 caps, and we can call it a deal.”

She looked over at Packrat as he nodded with approval and handed him 375 caps. “Okay, we’ll take one.”

“Okay, here you go. Thanks for stopping in.” Ralph said to her with a wink. Packrat tried to ignore it as his jealousy was spiking the entire time Rabbit charmed the man. 

“Welcome to Mick & Ralph’s.” Mick chimed in, trying to get their business. “If you need guns, I’m your man.”

“What guns do you have for sale?” Packrat asked, wondering if it would be expensive.

“Take a look.” Mick said, showing his inventory. Packrat and his sister were disappointed to see a 12.7mm pistol they’d both love to have, yet it was too expensive priced at 18,000 caps. Although, Packrat did hand over 2 measly caps for a decent-looking old cowboy hat.

“You would buy a cowboy hat.” Rabbit snorted when he put it on. She tugged downwards on the brim, covering his eyes so she could poke him in the nose. They both laughed. Packrat turned to Mick, “Hey, is it safe if I leave our Brahmin and wagon outside here? Seems a little inappropriate to try to take them through Freeside.”

“Sure thing.” Mick added, “For 75 caps, I’ll make sure nothing happens to it.” Packrat obliged, paying the man.

The pair walked through a second gate into another part of Freeside, greeted by a building with a large sign that said ‘The Kings’. Just to the right was another sign that read ‘FREESIDE’ and next to it was a scantily clad woman, hawking something about the Atomic Wrangler. Sure enough, looking just past her was a large sign with the words ‘Atomic Wrangler Casino’. The twins decided to check there first for Henry Jamison, but mutually agreed that some time they wanted to check out what kind of place The Kings was.

They walked into the Atomic Wrangler and their senses were immediately assaulted with cigarette smoke so heavy it burned their noses as well as another smell that they couldn’t readily identify. They looked around and saw a young blonde man sitting at one of those oddly lit machines, pulling down on the handle. Packrat walked over to him and tapped the man on the shoulder.

“Shove off.” The man said, unpleasantly. “You’re making my luck turn bad.”

“Are you Henry Jamison?” Packrat asked.

“Might be.” He replied.

Packrat grabbed Henry’s shoulder, “I’m here to talk about ending your employment with the Crimson Caravan Company.” Rabbit stifled a giggle at her brother trying to sound threatening.

“Fuck no.” Henry said. “No matter what that old bitch McLafferty says, my dad said I could be in charge of the New Vegas branch. Besides, I got into a little money trouble with the Omertas. If I quit the Crimson Caravan, how am I supposed to get the money to gamble?”

Rabbit sat down next to him and leaned in front of him until he could no longer pull the lever on his slot machine. “So you don’t have the Omertas’ money yet? I’ll let them know about that.”

“Wha-?” Henry looked extremely concerned. “No, no, wait. Look, I just need time. Don’t rat me out to them. You want me to quit the Crimson Caravan? Fine, I quit. You can tell McLafferty that she won’t see my face again.”

Rabbit smiled and gave Henry a wink, “We appreciate your cooperation. Hope your luck improves.”

\-----

The two waltzed back into the Crimson Caravan office and up to Ms. McLafferty, “The Crimson Caravan Company no longer has to worry about Henry Jamison.” Packrat told her.

“Yes, I just got word a few minutes before you walked in here. I understand that he’s decided to quit outright and not even ask for compensation. I’m a bit curious what exactly you said to him. Then again, perhaps I’d rather now know.” She said with a smile, “Thank you all the same - I’m very happy to be rid of that man. I don’t have anything else for you just now. But I should in a few days. Come back then and we’ll talk.”

“Thank you, ma’am. See you in a few days.” 

As they were leaving Crimson Caravan Company, Packrat turned around and looked at his sister, sitting in the back of the wagon. “You sure know how to talk to a fella’ to get whatever you want. I’d like to know where you learned to do that.”

“Dunno, really. Just kinda happens.” She laughed as she got up and sat down next to her brother, watching him steer the Brahmin. “Where are we headin’ to now, bub?”

“Not sure. Doesn’t help that we don’t know anything about this place. Could stay the night somewhere should we find a hotel or somethin’. Don’t care to stay in New Vegas overnight though. Shit’s expensive, it seems.”

“Yeah… so I guess we just roam around till we find somethin’ to do?”

“Guessin’ so. Though I’d rather find work, to be honest. I’d like the gun Mick had, but at 18,000 caps? Shit. We’d have to get 40,000 just for that and the rifle you wanted from Gun runners. May as well get started.” 

And so, they did just that. Wandering the Mojave Wasteland as traders, doing the odd runners jobs for McLafferty. They kept on, determined to get the things they wanted.


	9. Stars Of The Midnight Range

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> !!WARNING!! - There's incest (twincest?) in this chapter. Packrat loses control of his hormones and, albeit gently, forces himself onto Rabbit. She doesn't hate him, though. She wasn't exactly for it when it began, but she wasn't exactly opposed to it after it got going either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Initially, I wasn't going to add in the non-consent incest because they're 17 and incest is such a taboo thing. But I got to thinking... ok, it's the wasteland... who's going to give a shit? How many others in the wasteland do you suppose does the same thing? So yeah, there it is lol. 
> 
> **If you don't like it, skip this chapter. Please don't be rude. I will delete rude comments.**

It took the twins a while, until late-October 2281, to get enough money for the weapons they had set their sights on all the way back in early March of the previous year. They had jobs as caravanners, runners, couriers, cleaners, exterminators, scavengers… you name it. The only thing they didn’t do, was have sex for money or kill innocent people. They had made 47,750 caps in that time - enough to buy the guns and still have caps left over to live off of. At night, while Rabbit slept, Packrat had taken to making her something to attach to the rifle she’d wanted. Hoping it was still there, he would give her the gift once the rifle was purchased. They were both excited, but Rabbit wanted Packrat to buy the pistol he wanted first, since it was mostly him who did all the work. Rabbit only convinced people of things, Packrat did the hard stuff. And it wasn’t because she didn’t want to do it, it’s because he wouldn’t let her. Things like that would sometimes prompt them to get into arguments about him being over-protective of her. He would explain to her that he was only over-protective because he loved her and couldn’t stand the thought of anything bad happening. That always diffused the arguments.

Packrat didn’t argue, though, whenever Rabbit requested that he buy his 12.7mm first. He walked right into Mick & Ralph’s, dumped 18,000 caps onto the counter… much to Mick’s surprise… and bought the exact thing he wanted. He ended up naming it his Lil’ Devil. His sister giggled at the name, but was more excited about the possibility of buying the .45-70 rifle she’d fell in love with at Gun Runners so long ago. She wasn’t anywhere near proficient with a rifle, had never even shot one, but that .45-70 called to her. They went to Gun Runners, she spoke to the robot, and sure enough, he had one in stock. The twins had no idea if it was the same one or just another one, Rabbit didn’t care. She handed the robot 22,000 caps and squealed whenever the robot placed the gun down onto the counter in front of her.

“Whatcha gonna name it, sis?”

“It’s my Medicine Stick. The cure-all for stupidity.”

Packrat bellowed laughter, “Good name! I have something for you. Been workin’ on it for a couple nights now while you were asleep. Made it for your Medicine stick.” They climbed back up into their wagon and he pulled the small dreamcatcher out of his pack and stuck it firmly to the stock of her rifle. “Do you know what this is?” He asked her.

“Pretty?” Rabbit said with a big smile.

“I’m glad you think so.” He laughed and fiddled with the feathers that hung from it, “But it’s a dreamcatcher. And there’s a story behind it.”

“Oh! Oh!” Rabbit said excitedly as she bounced up and down. “Tell me the story!”

“It was believed, for a time, by the Ojibwe people - or Chippewa - that there was some kind of Spider Woman named Asibikaashi who would care for the children and people of the land.” Rabbit listened with great interest about the history behind the object her brother had made for her. “Over time, the Ojibwe Nation grew larger and they ended up living all over North America. It was told that this Asibikaashi had a difficult time reaching all the children because they were so spread out. So, mothers and grandmothers would weave magical webs - dreamcatchers - for the children, and even babies. They would make it with something hoop-like, just like this one, and plant cordage or sinew. I used cordage. Anyway, what these were supposed to do is catch all the bad dreams so the children wouldn’t have any, only good dreams.Once the sun rises, all the bad dreams this things catches will disappear.”

“Wow, Packrat, thank you so much!” She said as she hugged his neck tightly. Rabbit admired her dreamcatcher for hours. She loved the way it dangled from her rifle. He had stuck it in the right spot for to not interfere or cause distraction when shooting. 

After wandering around for awhile, Rabbit pointed out that they were getting close to Primm again. They’d taken the odd jobs with the Mojave Express on several occasions and decided to stop in to see if Ruby Nash had any today. Her husband, Johnson, apparently gave out parcels as well, but their timing was always bad enough that they never got to meet him.

“Ridin’ around in circles doesn’t seem very fun to me…” She commented as they came up on the rollercoaster that engulfed the town. “Yeah, me neither.” Packrat said, recalling his sister saying that to him every time they got close enough to Primm to see it. There wasn’t much to the town other than that rollercoaster. A few houses, a Bison Steve Hotel, the Vikki and Vance Casino, and the Mojave Express. At some point, the Bison Steve was supposedly some kind of casino, but the only slot machines they ever saw were the ones inside the Vikki and Vance Casino. 

They quite enjoyed Primm, Sheriff McBain and his wife were extremely friendly. Nice as they were, though, they didn’t put up with anyone trying to make trouble in their town. Deputy Beagle seemed like a guy that would boast on himself, but end up being nothing more than chicken shit when it came down to having to deal with ruffians. Rabbit had sassed the Deputy a few times and he always backed down. Packrat wasn’t sure if it was because Rabbit was female or if he was genuinely that yellow-bellied.

They pulled into Primm and tied the Brahmin near the Mojave Express building. Walking in, they were greeted by Ruby’s familiar smile. “Well, hey there, youngsters! Hadn’t seen your friendly faces around here for a while. Everything been goin’ okay?”

“Yes ma’am. How’re you and Mr. Nash?” Rabbit asked with a warm smile.

“Just fine, thank you. I know I’ve said this before, but I swear… the manners on you two are like a breath of fresh air.” Packrat and his sister both smiled as he thanked Ruby for saying so. Again. He asked Mrs. Nash if she had any parcels that needed to be delivered. “Not at the moment. Why don’t you stay in town for the night and check in with me tomorrow? I’m sure I’ll have something by then. I know for a fact that Bison Steve has a vacancy.” She said with a smile.

“Yes ma’am, thank you.” Packrat returned the smile.

He and his sister walked over to the hotel and tried to pay for a room. However, the town of Primm knew of the twins, and like them enough that they had decided to let them stay in Primm anytime they needed, free of charge. The owner of the Bison Steve even gave them their own personal room that wouldn’t be rented to anyone else, just to ensure there was always a vacancy for them whenever they were in town. They thanked the owner graciously as they headed up to the second floor and into their room. There came a knock at the door, no sooner than they had gotten settled in for the night. Packrat opened the door to Ruby Nash standing there with. 

“Here. I made you two my world-famous Radscorpion Poison Casserole. Don’t worry, it won’t kill ya to eat it.” She said with a hearty laugh, handing Packrat the casserole. “Hope you like it. You both look like you could use a hot meal.”

“Oh, yes, thank you so much Mrs. Nash!” Packrat said, his stomach was already growling just smelling the delicious food. She smiled and took her leave so the twins could enjoy their home-cooked meal. Which is exactly what they did. 

Once they finished eating, Packrat saw his sister struggling with her hair and asked her what was wrong. “It’s matted pretty badly in the back. Dunno what happened. Just appeared one day.” She said. 

“Here, lemme take a look at it.” He sat down behind her and inspected the hair. “We’re uh, we’re gonna have to cut it off. It’s… pretty bad back here. If I cut it, it’s gonna be real short. Like a boy’s haircut.”

“Great…” She said sarcastically, “So I’m gonna look even more like you, I s’pose. Alright, fuck it. Chop it off.”

“You sure about this? Once I start cuttin’, I cain’t stop ‘cause it’ll look real bad.”

“Yep. I’m sure, now hurry up before I change my mind.” Rabbit told him, impatiently. Packrat rummaged through his pack and found the pair of scissors he always kept on him, because you never know when you’d need them. They were the same ones he’d use to cut his own hair from time to time. He took a deep breath, and started cutting his sister’s hair to remove the large mass of matted hair and grime from her head. He did as neatly of a job as he could, which didn’t look bad at all. Much to his surprise, she wore a short haircut extremely well. Rabbit went into the bathroom when Packrat announced that he’d finished… when she came out, however, she was crying. 

“I look awful!” She sobbed.

“Oh, Rabbit, no. No, no, no. You look great.” He told her, pulling her down onto the bed beside him. “I was actually shocked at how good that haircut looks on you.”

She sniffled as Packrat dried her eyes. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. I’m positive. Now how about you and I grab the wagon and ride up on the nearest hillside and just look at the stars, hm? Hadn’t been able to take the time to do anything like that in forever, it seems.”

Rabbit smiled and nodded her head, she loved that idea. She discovered very quickly, that her brother wasn’t the only one who liked her new haircut. Everyone she ran into complimented her on how great she looked with short hair… which definitely made her feel much better about it. Packrat helped her up into the wagon and they rode it up onto a nearby hill. He jumped out and tied the Brahmin to a decently-sized tree and when he climbed back into the wagon, he laid down and pulled her down next to him. Gazing up at the stars in the midnight sky, they couldn’t help but wonder what adventures laid before them. Would they ever make it back to the Capital Wasteland? Packrat figured they would, eventually, in due time. But it would likely take another year or more, at the very least. He wouldn’t mind going back, he did miss Megaton and having an actual place he called home. But their adventures out in the Mojave Wasteland was perfect for him, and he loved sharing every minute of it with Rabbit. He broke the silence, “I gotta hop out ‘n water the plants.” Rabbit laughed at him and promised not to look.

After he used the bathroom, he climbed back into the wagon, but lost his footing on the way in and fell directly on top of Rabbit. “Ooof!” She said, “You’re kinda heavy!” He laughed and wiggled around on top of her, announcing that he was going to crush her with his fatness. She squirmed and laughed beneath him, trying to push him off, but he was too heavy for her to move in that position. Finally, he stopped moving about and looked at her. “What?” She said, “I got a booger on my face?”

He laughed and touched her hair, “No. I just… you’re beautiful in the moonlight, you know. The way it illuminates your skin. Makes your eyes twinkle.”

She smiled, “You only say that stuff ‘cause you hafta.”

“Naw. I say it ‘cause I mean it.” He stroked the top of her hair. He leaned down and softly placed a kiss on her forehead. Then the tip of her nose. 

“Everett…” She started to object.

“Shhh.” He said just before he softly put his lips against hers. He knew she couldn’t pull away, nor could she push him away. It would be his only opportunity. For over a year now, his emotions had been reeling. He couldn’t keep a handle on it, not anymore. He pulled his lips away from hers. He looked into her eyes to see utter shock, he’d left her speechless with his advancement. She didn’t know what to make of the current situation. He knew he shouldn’t… but he wanted to see her. He’d watched her body blossom from the time they left Lamplight at 16… they were 17 now, and she had turned into a beautiful young woman. Her body stayed hidden underneath the over-sized clothing she wore. And he wanted to see it. He lifted her shirt, exposing her small breasts to the warm night air. It was summer practically year-round in the Mojave. Rabbit started to tug her shirt back down, but he wouldn’t let her. Her body had never been touched before, not even by her. He wanted to be the first. He kept trying to tell himself it was wrong. That he shouldn’t be doing this. Not to her. But he didn’t stop. He brushed his lips against against one of her nipples, causing it to harden almost immediately. He could feel Rabbit tugging on her shirt, still trying to pull it down, but she wasn’t saying a word. Packrat took her nipple between his lips, sucking gently, she didn’t make a sound. She tugged at her shirt some more, but failed in trying to cover herself.

She wasn’t sure if she liked that was going on or not, but she knew that it wasn’t something that should be happening between them. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t fight. So she just laid there thinking that it would end soon. Suddenly, she felt her pants and panties being stripped from her body and before she knew it, she was nude from the waist down. “Everett!” She said, in a nervous tone.

He covered her mouth with his right hand, and unbuttoned his pants with his free hand, squirming until they were down around his knees. His face met hers as he spread her legs and positioned himself between them. He rubbed his erection against her center, noticing it was extremely warm and slick. Grabbing his length, he put the head against her hole, looking back at her he assured her that he was going to be gentle, that it wasn’t his intentions to hurt her. He loved Rabbit, more than life itself, he would never intentionally cause her physical pain. Gently, he pushed, until his entire length was buried inside her, ridding them of their purity. He didn’t move. He wanted to let her become accustomed to him. It felt like his insides were melting, like butter on the sidewalk on a hot day. His hand remained over her mouth as he informed her that he was going to start moving. She didn’t nod, didn’t make a sound, didn’t offer to cry, nothing. She just looked at him. Packrat hooked his left arm underneath her, grasping onto her shoulder. He placed his forehead against hers as he slowly moved himself out of her, then part of the way back in, trying not to hurt her. He couldn’t believe how good she felt. Minutes were passing that seemed like hours. He removed his forehead from hers, and looked down at her. She was looking at him, her hands were no longer tugging at her shirt or the hand that covered her mouth, they were at her sides now. He began pushing his length in it’s entirety into her core, feeling himself hitting the wall of her cervix. He felt her shift underneath him, bringing his attention back up to her eyes once again. He watched her eyes almost flutter as her back arched. She maintained eye contact with him when he felt her walls tighten their grip on him. He stopped and removed his hand from her mouth, he didn’t want her to be hurting. “Please, Everett…” She pleaded, “Don’t stop.” Was all she managed to say. Her plea did not fall on deaf ears as he began to gently move in and out of her once more. He pressed into her, giving her every inch of himself that he had to give. Slowly, he coaxed her, closer and closer. Once again, he felt her tighten around him as the pleasure increased in her core. He looked at her, seeing her eyes closed as she bit her lip. “Open your eyes, Emery.” She did as she was told, and they looked into each other’s eyes. He felt her vaginal walls pulsate wildly around him as he watched the pleasure dance in her eyes. Unable to contain himself any longer, with one deep thrust, he flooded her cervix with his warm liquid. A few minutes later, he rolled off of her in silence. Once he gained his composure, he realized that he was so intoxicated by her that had forced himself on his sister and started apologizing profusely.

“Everett…” She interrupted. “Calm down. It’s okay.”

“But… I…” He began.

“No buts. Okay? Look, I will admit I was scared at first. You’d never done anything like that before. But then I realized… you would never hurt me. I wasn’t scared because I didn’t… because I didn’t want it. I was scared because I was afraid it would hurt.” She kissed his cheek. “I don’t regret it. I’m glad you’re the first. I don’t want you to regret it either.”

“I… could never… regret it. Maybe the way I went about it… but yeah. I was just so… drunk… on you.”

“Everett, that’s very… flattering, to be honest. I know we’ve always been told that anything between us outside of brother and sister stuff wasn’t… right. But who’s to say what’s right for us and what isn’t? This is a wasteland, after all. A lot of things go on out there that aren’t right. Way worse than what we just did.” She was trying to make him feel better about what happened. Rabbit couldn't hate her brother no matter what he did. He was a hormonal teenager who didn't know much beyond her. 

Packrat nodded, “Yeah. How ‘bout we head back to Bison Steve’s and get some rest? We gotta check in with Mrs. Nash in the morning to see if she has any work for us.” Rabbit agreed, they were both exhausted.

The next morning they arose and went down to Mojave Express. To their, somewhat, surprise, Mrs. Nash actually did have 2 packages for them. One that needed to go to the New Vegas Strip, the other to Nipton. Ruby told them that the New Vegas packages were a little odd. There were 6 parcels in total, 5 couriers had already shown up to get packages. A sixth had come in, but then declined when he’d seen Rabbit’s name on the list. Since Rabbit’s name was next on the parcel list, Mrs. Nash handed her the sixth delivery order. It read:

_INSTRUCTIONS_

_Deliver the package at the north entrance to the Vegas Strip, by way of Freeside. An agent of the recipient will meet you at the checkpoint, take possession of the package, and pay for the delivery. Bring the payment to Johnson Nash at the Mojave Express agency in Primm._

_Bonus on completion: 250 caps._

_MANIFEST_

_This package contains:_

_One (1) Oversized Poker Chip, composed of Platinum_

_CONTRACT PENALTIES_

_You are an authorized agent of the Mojave Express Package until delivery is complete and payment has been processed, contractually obligated to complete this transaction and materially responsible for any malfeasance or loss. Failure to deliver the proper recipient may result in forfeiture of your advance and bonus, criminal charges, and/or pursuit by mercenary reclamation teams. The Mojave Express is not responsible for any injury or loss of life you experience as a result of said reclamation efforts._

Packrat and Rabbit looked at one another and shrugged. Ruby Nash handed Packrat the other package that was supposed to go to Nipton. And it read:

_INSTRUCTIONS_

_Deliver the package at the front desk in Nipton Hall. The recipient, the woman behind the front desk, will take possession of the package, and pay for the delivery. Bring the payment to Johnson Nash at the Mojave Express agency in Primm._

_Bonus on completion: 150 caps._

_MANIFEST_

_This package contains:_

_One (1) Dinky the T-Rex Dinosaur._

_CONTRACT PENALTIES_

_You are an authorized agent of the Mojave Express Package until delivery is complete and payment has been processed, contractually obligated to complete this transaction and materially responsible for any malfeasance or loss. Failure to deliver the proper recipient may result in forfeiture of your advance and bonus, criminal charges, and/or pursuit by mercenary reclamation teams. The Mojave Express is not responsible for any injury or loss of life you experience as a result of said reclamation efforts._

The twins thanked Mrs. Nash for being able to get them two packages that needed delivery and informed her that they would get on that right away. Since Nipton was the closest, Packrat suggested to Rabbit that that’s where they should head first. She hesitated, because she’d never actually been to The Strip, only Freeside. They had paid 375 caps for a passport they’d never even used. Packrat promised her that as soon as they finished up in Nipton, they would take their time and see everything there was to see at The Strip. She hesitantly agreed.

Nipton was in shambles when they arrived, a man in glasses and what looked like a prison uniform came running from the town. “Yeah! Who won the lottery? I did! Smell that air! Couldn’t ya just drink it like booze!” He said, sounding hysterically happy.

Both siblings were confused, “Uh, what lottery did you win?” Packrat asked. Surely, with the town on fire, there shouldn’t have been any sort of lottery.

“What lottery? THE lottery, that’s what lottery! Are you stupid? Only lottery that matters! Oh my god smell that air!” The man said back, scaring Rabbit. He was way too happy for her comfort… she figured he was probably so high on chems right now that he didn’t know his ass from a hole in the ground.

“Are you feeling all right?” Packrat asked him, warily.

“Are you kidding me? Never felt better!”

“Uh, we gotta go.” Packrat said, urging the Brahmin forth.

“PFT, later!” He said, running quickly away from Nipton. 

They stopped the Brahmin and slowly climbed down out of the wagon with the package instructed to be taken to Nipton. As they rounded a corner, they couldn’t believe their eyes. It was like a waking nightmare - men, hung from poles with their arms outstretched, and their feet dangled as if they had been crucified. The men were barely alive… but alive, indeed.


	10. Heartaches By The Number

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> !WARNING! - Rape. Though brief and not terribly descriptive, I still wanted to provide the warning, just in case.
> 
> I legit cried when I wrote this.
> 
> Also, Rabbit is no longer Rabbit. She's given herself a new name.

Tires burned and men hung from makeshift crosses. Decapitated heads were scattered about, impaled on pikes. Blood everywhere. It looked as if the entire town had been brutally murdered. Five men stood on the steps of Nipton Hall. Their crimson red uniforms hung from their bodies. Packrat noticed the chests being crudely protected by sports equipment - football or baseball, to be specific. He didn’t know much about either of those sports aside from the things he’d read. Leaning over, he pointed this observation out to his sister, not knowing what to make of it. They didn’t want to speak to these men, didn’t want to know anything about them. Their actions were unspeakable. Unimaginable. Packrat and Rabbit wanted to leave, immediately. It was too late, they had been noticed by the man in the wolf-head hat. The man descended down the steps, as the other four spread out around him. He approached Packrat and Rabbit, his eyes were covered by darkened goggles.

“I am Vulpes Inculta. You needn’t worry, I won’t have you lashed to a cross like the rest of these degenerates. It’s useful that you happened by.” His tone was eerily calm and soft, the twins shivered at the sound of it. “I want you to witness the fate of the town of Nipton, to memorize every detail. And then, when you move on? I want you to teach everyone you meet the lesson that Caesar’s Legion taught here, especially any NCR troops you run across.”

Packrat could feel his anger starting to boil and spoke to Vulpes in an extremely snide tone, “What _‘lessons’_ did you teach here?”

Vulpes cracked a creepily wicked half-smile, “Where to begin? They are weak, and we are strong?” He let out a slight snicker. “This much was known already. But the depths of their moral sickness, their dissolution? Nipton serves as the perfect object lesson.”

“What exactly happened here?” Packrat asked, getting elbowed by Rabbit because she was extremely uncomfortable and didn’t want to be talking, but running instead.

“Nipton was a wicked place, debased and corrupt. It served all comers, so long as they paid. Profligate troops, Powder Gangers, men of the Legion such as myself - the people here didn’t care. It was a town of whores. For a pittance, the town agreed to lead those it had sheltered into a trap. Only when I sprang it did they realize they were caught inside it, too.” Inculta’s face had fallen emotionless again. 

Packrat narrowed his eyes as the puppet of Caesar, “You captured everyone?”

“Yes, and herded them to the center of town. I told them their sins, the foremost being disloyalty. I told them that when Legionaries are disloyal, some are punished, the others are made to watch. And I announced the lottery. Each clutched his ticket, hoping it would set him free. Each did nothing, even when ‘loved ones’ were dragged away to be killed.”

Rabbit watched as he brother inconspicuously switched the safety off on his 12.7mm pistol. She could see his face contorting from anger to disgust and rage. “You slaughtered innocent civilians?” Packrat asked in a serious tone.

Vulpes snickered, “Innocent? Hardly. Cowardly, though. They outnumbered us, yet not once did they try to resist. They stood and watched as their followers were butchered, crucified, and burned, one by one. They stood and hoped their turn would not come. Each cared only for himself.”

Packrat took a step towards the Legionaries, “Your crimes are unforgivable.”

“As are all crimes. If you feel strongly about it, attack us, and soon you won’t feel a thing.” Vulpes Inculta stood there, staring blanking at Packrat. Rabbit tugged at her brother’s sleeve. 

Packrat took another step closer. “We’re not going to spread your atrocious message. Not to the NCR, not to anyone. Caesar’s Legion is an abomination. You are just a pile of shit.”

“So vulgar.” Inculta sighed and continued, “Recruits, detain him.”

“NO!” Rabbit yelled as she watched the recruits grab Packrat. “Stop! I’ll do whatever you want. I’ll give your message to the NCR, just let him go!”

“Yes.” Inculta said, “You will. But first, I want something else.” His monotone turned to a growl. He sank a hand into the back of Rabbit’s neck, his grip was unbreakable. He put his mouth close to her ear, “Do you know what the Legion does to women? We use them. We… break them. I’m going to break you, little girl. And your friend here is going to watch.”

Packrat yelled, “Don’t you fucking touch my sister, you son of a bitch!” As soon as he finished his sentence, one of the recruits shoved their fist into his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. He watched Vulpes Inculta throw his sister to the ground, nearly ripping her pants as he violently pulled them from her body. Lifting the bottom of his uniform, exposing himself to Rabbit, he got down between her legs, ramming his large member into her, sending shockwaves of immense pain through her body, causing her to scream.

“NO! EMERY!” Packrat cried out. He couldn’t take this, he wasn’t going to stand by and watch this man rape his sister. He began to struggle, managing to rip his arm free from the grip of a recruit to grab his pistol and begin firing. He shot the two next to him, killing them instantly. The third was running towards him wielding a ripper. Packrat shot the Legionnaire in the knee to slow him, then once in the face. He aimed his sights on Vulpes who was violently ramming himself into Rabbit. Packrat aimed to take the shot, but didn’t see the Recruit behind him. He felt a deep burning in his back that led into his chest. He pulled the trigger, but only wounded Vulpes Inculta’s leg, causing him to roll off of Rabbit in pain. Packrat dropped to his knees as the Recruit walked in front of him. Inculta yelled at the Recruit while clutching his leg, telling him to kill that bastard. Rabbit grabbed for her gun and shot the Recruit that stood there. She jumped to her feet, pulled her pants up, and ran to her brother’s side. She didn’t give a shit about Inculta, he wasn’t going anywhere. She grabbed her brother and dragged him inside a house to the left of Nipton Hall when facing the doors.

Cradling him close to a bed, “You’re gonna be okay, Everett. Everything’s okay. I’ve got you. You’re okay.” She kept repeating it.

“Emery…” His voice sounded weak, “I’m sorry.”

Tears were flowing from Rabbit’s face. “There’s no reason to be sorry. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I hurt… so much…”

“Shhh… don’t talk, just… I’ll take you somewhere.” Her clothing was soaked in her brother’s blood that leaked out of the two wounds in his back.

“Emery…?” He said, grasping at her shirt, “Kiss me. Please.” She nodded and leaned down, kissing him softly on the lips. “I love you, sister.”

“I love you too, Everett. You’re going to be okay.”

“No… I mean… I am in love with you…” His breathing was labored as he steadily got weaker.

“I know, Everett. I love you too. You gotta stay with me. Stay with me.” She pleaded with him, sobbing.

“Emery... “ He said as the breath left him. Rabbit watched as the light and life faded from her brother’s eyes. She held him as he died, right there in her arms. 

“NO! EVERETT! DON’T LEAVE ME! PLEASE!” Rabbit wailed, hysterically begging him to stay, holding him tight against her body and rocked him back and forth. She sobbed into his hair because she knew, he wasn’t coming back. Her eyes blurred with tears as her heart filled with sorrow and ache. She’d never known heartbreak of any kind before this moment of being shattered to pieces by the Legion. She gently laid her brother’s lifeless body down onto the floor and stood up, looking at the pool of blood beneath him. Her own clothing covered in red warmth. She could feel something inside her, bubbling, rising. She walked out the door with a purpose. She picked up a machete dropped by one of the Recruits and walked over to Vulpes Inculta and hissed at him through gritting teeth, “You’re going to die, you motherfucker.” Before Vulpes could say anything, she plunged the machete deep into the vulnerable spot of his uniform, shoving the blade up through the pit of his stomach. She watched as he died, not knowing if he died from bleeding out, or choking on his own blood. She didn’t care. She was going to kill every last of Caesar’s Legion, including Caesar himself. Or die trying.

\-----

She had a hard time picking her brother up and putting him in the back of the wagon, but she managed. She’d made her way to the town of Goodsprings. They never went there, but had seen it from a distance, and had gotten close enough to know it had a cemetery. That’s where she buried her brother - in the middle of Goodsprings Cemetery and surrounded it with wire fencing. She placed a few flowers on top of it that she could find in the area and just stood there. Night fell and she laid down on top of the grave she’d had to dig. She must have dozed off for a bit because a voice came up on her, startling her awake. Rabbit had looked up to see two rough-looking men and another in a checkered suit. Before she was able to get fully on her feet, one of them hit her with a large piece of wood, knocking her unconscious. She didn’t know how long she was out, but it was long enough for them to get her hands tied together. As she came to, one of the men spoke...

“Guess who’s wakin’ up over here?” The man said.

“Time to cash out.” Another said.

A third man chimed in, “Would you get it over with?”

The checkered man held a finger up, “Maybe Khans kill people without lookin’ ‘em in the face, but I ain’t a fink, dig?” The man pulled the poker chip Rabbit was supposed to deliver out of his coat, looking at her he said, “You’ve made your last delivery, kid. Sorry you got twisted up in this scene.” He said as he replaced the chip back in his pocket and pulled out a pistol, “From where you’re kneeling, it must seem like an 18 karat run of bad luck.” The man pointed the gun at her, continuing, “Truth is… the game was rigged from the start.” The last thing Rabbit saw, before was the unknown man shot her in the face, was that checkered suit.

\-----

Rabbit opened her eyes, everything seemed bright and blurry, barely being able to make out the ceiling fan spinning above her. A soft man’s voice spoke, “You’re awake. How about that.” She rolled over, trying to get out of bed quickly as she realized she wasn’t wearing anything but her underwear. The elderly-looking man promptly steadied her. “Whoa, easy there.” He said, “Easy. You been out cold a couple of days now. Why don’t you just relax for a second? Get your bearings. Let’s see what the damage is. How about your name? Can you tell me your name?”

Rabbit rubbed her head where the wound had been cleaned and closed up. She thought for a second, having a hard time remembering her own name, the only thing she could recall was that platinum poker chip and that there were 6 couriers for 6 packages. “Six.” She said.   
The man looked at her funny, “Huh. Can’t say it’s what I’d have picked for you. But if that’s your name, that’s your name. I’m Doc Mitchell. Welcome to Goodsprings. Now, I hope you don’t mind, but I had to go rootin’ around there in your noggin to pull all the bits of lead out. I take pride in my needlework, but you’d better tell me if I left anything out of place.” Doc Mitchell handed Rabbit a mirror so she could look at herself. “How’d I do?” She noticed her face was scarred and not just from the bullet hole - she’d had cuts and scrapes, probably from when the checkered-suit shot her. Her hair had completely bleached out blonde. She hardly recognized herself at all. Tears started to form in her eyes as she recalled the events from Nipton. Composing herself, she handed the mirror back to the doctor and nodded her head, “Everything’s fine.” She squeaked out.

“Well, I got most of it right, anyway. Stuff that mattered.” He stood up from his chair. “Okay. No sense in keeping you in bed anymore. Let’s see if we can get you on your feet.” He leaned in, helping her up. Her vision blurred and her balance was off, she wobbled as she stood, but he didn’t let her fall. Once to her feet Doc Mitchell looked at her. “Good. Why don’t you walk down to the end of the room? Over by that vigor tester machine there. Take it slow now. It ain’t a race.” She slowly walked over to the strange machine, taking it easy so she wouldn’t fall. Once she got in front of it, Doc Mitchell smiled warmly at her. “Looking good so far.” He said. “Go ahead and give the vigor tester a try. We’ll learn right quick if you got back all your faculties.”

Rabbit grabbed the joystick and moved it around until the machine made a noise. “Yep, that’s a pretty standard score there.” Doc commented. “But after what you been through, I’d say that’s great news. Well, we know your vitals are good. But that don’t mean them bullets didn’t leave you nuttier than a Bighorner droppin’. What do you say you take a seat on my couch and we go through a couple questions? See if your dogs are still barkin’.”

Rabbit nodded. She really didn’t feel like it, but she supposed she’d humor the doctor, he had saved her life, after all. She made her way into his living room and gently sat down on the couch as he took a seat in the chair across from her. “All right.” He continued on, “I’m gonna say a word. I want you to say the first thing that comes to your mind. Dog.”

Rabbit replied, “Cat.”

“House.”

“Shelter.”

“Night.”

“Sleep.”

“Bandit.”

“Swiss cheese.”

“Light.”

“Heavy.”

“Mother.”

“Regret.”

Doc Mitchell looked at the paper he’d been writing on and rubbed his balding head. “Okay. Now I’ve got a few statements. I want you to tell me how much they sound like something you’d say. First one - Conflict just ain’t in my nature.”

“No opinion.” She said.

“I ain’t given to relyin’ on others for support.”

“Agree.”

“I’m always fixin’ to be the center of attention.”

“No opinion.”

“I’m slow to embrace new ideas.”

“Agree.”

“I charge in to deal with my problems head-on.”

“Strongly agree.”

“Almost done here. What do you say you have a look at this?” He said, putting up ink-blotted paper on the metal stand that stood next to his chair. “Tell me what you see.”

She looked at it for a moment, “Uh, an angry two-headed ant.”

“Okay.” He swapped out the picture to a different one. “How about this one?”

“It’s some piece of space-age technology.” She tilted her head to one side.

“Last one.” He said, swapping the pictures out yet again.

“Mushroom cloud.”

“Well,” He continued, “that’s all she wrote. I don’t have nothin’ to compare it to, so maybe you’d better just have a look at the results. See if it all seems right to you.” He handed her the piece of paper he’d be scribbling it on. She gave it a once over and agreed that everything seemed to be correct. He added, “Before I turn you loose, I need one more thing from you. I got a form for you to fill out, so I can get a sense of your medical history. Just a formality. Ain’t like I expect to find you got a family history of getting shot in the head.

Her hand shook as she filled out the form and handed it back to him. He skimmed at the paper and looked back at her, “All right. I guess that about does it. Come with me. I’ll see you out.” He said as he helped her up off of the couch over to the front door. “Here. These are yours. Was all you had on you when you was brought in.” He handed her her belongings. “I hope you don’t mind but I gave the note a look. I thought it might help me find a next of kin. But it was just something about a platinum chip. Well, if you’re heading back out there, you ought to have this back.” He handed her the pip-boy that had been on her arm since Megaton. She could tell it had been busted and repaired. “I grew up in one of them Vaults they made before the war.” He added, “I know how to do a little repair on ‘em. Lucky for you, it wasn’t too badly damaged. You might wanna make sure you hold on to that, especially after what you been through. Oh, and put this on, too, so the locals don’t pick on you for lacking modesty. Was my wife’s.” Doc Mitchell helped Rabbit into a Vault suit. “I think she was about your size, and she hardly wore it after we left the Vault. Felt it was too brazen.”

Rabbit shook his hand. “Thanks for patchin’ me up, Doc. But, what do I do now?” She was so lost, she’d never had to be without Packrat before. He was always her leader, whatever adventures he took them on, she followed… sometimes she objected, but she still followed. Any ideas she had, she always talked to him about. Now, everything was different. In an instant, she no longer had him to rely on or keep her safe. It was just her and her alone, now. She would get avenge him, she would kill Caesar and his entire Legion if she could. And she’d do it alone. She also needed to find the checkered-suit… she was instructed to deliver a package, and that was exactly what she was going to do. Along with put a bullet in his head, see how he’d like it.


	11. Ain't That A Kick In The Head

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rabbit, now known as 'Six', looks for the checkered-suit that put lead in her face, defends Primm, and picks up on the Happy Trails Caravan Company signal.

Rabbit, or Six - as she was now calling herself, walked out of the doctor’s house and into Goodsprings. The sun was extremely bright and it hurt her eyes, taking a minute to adjust her sight. She looked around, watching the wind blow sand and tumbleweed about. She could see the water tower from Doc’s porch, reminding her of Packrat being buried up there. She swallowed the lump that came up in her throat as she thought about how much she missed him. She quickly distracted herself, deciding to approach the robot that was rolling past her. “Howdy, pardner!” He said in a very southern accent, he had what looked like a terminal with a cowboy face on it. “Might I say, you’re lookin’ fit as a fiddle.”

Six wasn’t sure what to say, other than to ask about the checkered-suit. “Do you know who those men were who attacked me?”

His screen flickered and rolled, “Can’t say that I’m familiar with the rascals. Some of the fine folks in town might be able to help you out with that.”

“How did you happen to find me?”

“I was out for a stroll that night when I heard the commotion up at the old bone orchard. Saw what looked like a bunch of bad eggs so I laid low. Once they’d run off, I dug you up to see if you were still tickin’. Turns out, you were, so I hauled you off to the Doc right quick.”

“Thanks for digging me out of that grave.” Six tried to sound as appreciative as she could, wishing he would’ve left her there to die instead. At least then she and Packrat would’ve been together again.

“Don’t mention it! I’m always ready to lend a helping hand to a stranger in need.”

She paused for a moment and looked the robot from top to bottom, then back up again. “I’ve never seen a robot like you before.”

“I’m a Securitron, RobCo security model 2060-B. If you ever see any of my brothers, tell ‘em Victor says howdy.” His screen flickered some more. She figured he probably had a short somewhere.

“Well, I uh, I gotta get goin’.” 

“Happy trails!” He said, rolling away.

Six walked slowly over to the Prospector Saloon, taking it easy because there wasn’t anyone who’d catch her if she fell. She saw an old man, whose skin looked like leather, wearing overalls and a cowboy hat, sitting in a chair close to the entrance of the saloon. 

“Howdy.” She greeted the old man.

“Howdy. What can Easy Pete do for you?”

“Do you know anything about the people who attacked me?” 

“The one in the fancy suit seemed to be callin’ the shots, that’s as much as I know. Other folks in town might know more. Word of advice, though: if you ever catch up with him, watch out. The man’s got cold eyes like a snake. Can’t be trusted, I’d say.”

Six motioned in Victor’s direction, “Do you know anything about Victor?”

“The machine? Harmless, no matter what Trudy says. She thinks it’s hiding something, but I think it’s just a broken down relic with no place to be.”

Finally, she asked the question that had been nagging at her since he introduced himself: “Why are you called Easy Pete?”

The elderly man, smiled at her a little, in amusement at her question. “Was a prospector until I decided to settle here to get away from the NCR. Now I just take it easy and help out with the Brahmin and Bighorners.”

“You were a prospector - like digging for gold and silver?” She’d heard of them before, but didn’t quite know what they did, other than the things Packrat had read to her.

“Nah, nah - means I poked through old buildings looking for working tech and such. Some folks just call it ‘salvaging’, but never like the term. Way I see it, salvage means it’s broken, near-worthless. Me, I looked for the good stuff - guns, chems, spare parts. Good money in it.”

“Did you ever find anything good while prospecting?”

“Nope. Had a pretty good claim once, way out east by the river, but got run off by Raiders. Eventually, got too old to keep going out.”

“Alright, well, it was nice talkin’ to ya, Easy Pete. I gotta find Sunny Smiles.”

Pete nodded and tipped his hat to her, “Keep your gun handy if you go pokin’ around some of the abandoned places around here, like the schoolhouse. Critters move in there sometimes.”

Six nodded at him appreciatively and headed into the saloon. As soon as she entered, a decent sized dog, almost looked like a wolf, barked at her. “Cheyenne, stay.” The girl said. “Don’t worry, she won’t bite unless I tell her to. Name’s Sunny.”

“Pleased to meet you, you can call me Six. Doc Mitchell said you could teach me to survive in the desert?” She already knew how to survive, just not how to survive alone.

“Yeah, I guess there’s a thing or two I could show you. Sounds like you need all the help you can get after what they done to you. Meet me outside, behind the saloon.” Sunny made her way out the backdoor with her dog, Cheyenne, in tow. Six rubbed her head, not sure what to do… or if any of this would even help, but she had to do something. She took a deep breath and walked out the back door. Sunny was waiting for her, “Now, see those sarsaparilla bottles on that fence there? Take this,” Sunny handed Six a small rifle, “try to hit a couple of ‘em.”

Six took aim and shot two. Sunny praised her aim “That’s it, crouch down low to get a better shot.” She suggested. Six did just that, which did help somewhat. After she’d shot several of the bottles Sunny patted her on the back, “Well, that’s a start. But I don’t reckon you came to me to learn to fight sarsaparilla bottles. Tell you what. I gotta go chase geckos away from our water supply anyway. Darn critters are attracted to it. Why don’t you come along?”

Six shook her head, declining, “I think I’ve learned enough.”

“Suit yourself. Hope this helped you some. I’m heading back inside now. Hope I didn’t miss anything good on the jukebox. Cheyenne would never forgive.” She said with a smile. “Hey, do me a favor. Trudy - she’s the bartender in the Prospector, kind of the town mom - she likes to meet newcomers. She’d be cross with me if I didn’t ask you to poke your head in and say hi.”

“Not a problem.” Six said, following Sunny Smiles back through the door of the saloon. As she walked in, she saw Trudy standing behind the bar, greeting her with a smile. She walked over to where the woman stood and sat on one of the barstools. She began to introduce herself but because she was able, Trudy interrupted, “Well, you’ve been causing quite a stir. Glad I finally got to meet you. Welcome to the Prospector Saloon.”

“I’m trying to track down the people who attacked me. Know anything about them?”

Trudy shook her head, “Not much, other than they’re a bunch of freeloaders who expected a few rounds of beer on the house. I was able to get them to pay up, though. Of course, one of the Great Khans did knock my radio into the floor ‘by accident’, and it hasn’t been working since. They were having some kind of argument about it, the guy in the checkered suit kept shushing them. Sounded like they came in from the north through Quarry Junction. If that’s the case I can’t say I blame them for not wanting to go back.”

Six thought that Trudy sure had a lot of information for not knowing much about the men, but asked her to continue. “The whole area’s overrun with the kind of critters that just get mad if you shoot ‘em. Merchants avoid that whole stretch of I-15 like it’s radioactive. Which it could be for all I know.”

“You still haven’t said where these guys were going.”

“I didn’t hear exactly, but the leader was talking about the Strip. Fella wants to get there and avoid the 15, he’d have to go east. Take Highway 93 up.”

That was at least a lead on where he was going. She figured maybe she could take the same route and catch him before the Strip. Would be hard to kill him in a very populated area. She couldn’t offer the woman many caps and offered to take a look at her broken radio instead. Trudy accepted the offer, saying that she thought something had broken on the inside of it since the outside looked fine. She also let Six know that if she fixed it, she’d get paid for the work. While Six worked on fixing the radio, she kept talking with Trudy. “Do you know that robot that rescued me?”

Trudy shifted as if the thought of it made her uneasy. “I know that… thing… as much as anyone else around here. It mostly keeps to itself, which is just fine by me.”

“You don’t like him?”

“It acts friendly enough, but I don’t trust that whole ‘cheerful cowboy’ act. I find it all very creepy.”

“How long has he been in Goodsprings?”

“It was here when I took over the saloon seven years ago. Some people have said its owner lived here, but no one knows who it was. Other than rolling around once in awhile, it doesn’t do anything useful far as I can tell. I don’t know why it took an interest in you, but I’d be careful. It’s never helped anyone before.” She also went on to discuss her feelings about the NCR and how the Legion were nothing more than savages, in her opinion. Also went on to talk about how both groups were interested in taking over Hoover Dam.

 

“What, uh, what can you tell me about the Legion…?” Six asked hesitantly.

“Slavers, killers, and all other kinds of trouble. They dress up like Roman soldiers, so there’s no mistaking it when you see them. The rumor is that the Legion is far larger than the NCR lets on, and that it’s been due to luck that the Legion hasn’t overrun the territory.”

Six sat there and nodded along, listening to the woman go on about the Legion. She just wanted the basic, not a whole novel about them. Eventually, after working with the Radiation King, it lit up and started playing. She turned to Trudy, “I fixed your radio.”

“Yep, I heard it turn right back on after you got done tinkering with it. Here’s some caps for the work.” Trudy handed her 25 caps. 

“That’s it? Are you implying that I’ve done shoddy work?” She asked, hoping to get more, and succeeded.

“Not at all!“I’m never sure how much is normally charged for this sort of thing. Here’s some additional caps - that should be enough.” She handed Six 25 more. 

“Thank you. Gotta get goin’, headin’ out to Primm.” Six told her. Trudy gave her a warm smile and told her to be careful out there. Before leaving town, she went into the general store that was sitting next door to the saloon. The man who ran it was sweeping up behind the counter.

“Excuse me.” She said, getting his attention.

He inspected her for a moment, “You must be the one Doc Mitchell was patching up. The way I heard it, I didn’t think you’d be walking out of that office.”

“Yeah, guess I’m too tough to kill.” Her tone turned sarcastic, “Lucky me.”

“I’ve got plenty of supplies for sale. Even got some weapon mods and special ammo - well worth the caps, if you ask me.” She informed the man that she wasn’t interested in either of those things, just wanted ammunition for the firearms she already possessed and to buy a caravan shotgun. She ended up selling him the Chinese pistol she’d had for so long, as well as Packrat’s 9mm. The only weapons she walked out of there with were that shotgun, her Medicine Stick, Lil’ Devil, and the machete she’d dislodged from Vulpes Inculta’s dead body before leaving Nipton.

\-----

Once she made it close to Primm, she had someone from the NCR run up to her wagon. “Hey, where the hell do you think you’re going? Primm is off limits.” Just before she was about to tell this guy how much of an asshole he was, she stopped, she remembered the elbow.

Choking her tears back, she managed to force some words out. “What’s goin’ on in Primm?”

“Some convicts from the prison up the road have taken over the town. Everyone inside is either dead or in hiding. What’s more, there are two tribes of Raiders causing trouble in this area as well. You’d be safer heading back up to Goodsprings.”

“Shouldn’t you be protecting the town or something?” Sounding smart-assed.

“We’d love to, but they don’t fall under NCR jurisdiction. Even if they did we’re in no shape to protect them.”

“Alright, well, thanks for the warning… but I can take care of myself.” 

“It’s your ass. Don’t say you weren’t warned.”

Six didn’t give a shit about Raiders, she was going to help Primm. If she were lucky, one of those Raiders would wound her enough to kill her. She didn’t have the guts to put a bullet in her own head, but she was reckless enough to put it in someone else’s. She didn’t pull the wagon into Primm, but just into the area NCR Troops had set up camp. She hopped out of the wagon and crossed what was left of a concrete bridge that led into the middle of town. She almost stepped on a frag mine, but noticed it and disarmed it. Then disarmed a couple more. Nobody was outside, not a soul to be found. It was quiet, much too quiet for her. Carefully, navigating through the front-side of town, she slipped into Deputy Beagle’s house, but there wasn’t any signs of him at all. Quickly and quietly, she went into Sheriff McBain’s home, the radio was still playing. She found him and his wife dead, still in bed as if they’d been caught sleeping. Looking around, she saw that nothing had even been taken - ammo just laying around. “These guys are killin’ just to be killin’.” She said aloud to herself. Six was going to save Primm, or die trying. Hopefully she could somehow manage to do both. 

Upon exiting the Sheriff’s house, a couple of prisoner’s saw her and bullets began to whiz past her. She pulled her rifle out, remembered what Sunny told her and crouched down, and started firing. It took her a bit to get her aim down, but once she did, it was deadly. Before she knew it, she’d cleared the outside area of 5 prisoners or so. She stepped inside the Vikki and Vance Casino to find that that’s where the remainder of Primm had holed up.

The old man standing there by the slot machines took a drag off of his cigarette when she walked in. He didn’t even bother looking up, “I don’t know what it was brought you to Primm, youngster, but you might want to rethink your plants. Town’s gone to tell.”

“Who are you?” She asked him.

“Johnson Nash’s my name. Husband to Ruby Nash. Lived in Primm going on eight years now, thick and thin. I’m a trader primarily, for what it’s worth with things like they are. I also run the local Mojave Express outpost.” Six recalled Ruby telling her that Johnson liked to talk a lot, and it seemed she was correct. But, she kept it polite.

“I’m a courier with the Mojave Express.” She told him.

“Well, I don’t got any work right now, sorry to say.”

“No, your wife, had given me a package to deliver, but I’ve lost it.”

“I’ll tell you whatever I can. Do you have a delivery order you can show me?”

Six pulled the order out of her pack and handed it to Mr. Nash, “What can you tell me about this job?”

“Oh, so you’re talkin’ about one of them packages. That job had strange written all over it. But we couldn’t turn down the caps.”

She tilted her head to one side, “What was strange about it?”

“The cowboy robot had us hire six couriers. Each was carrying something a little different. A pair of dice, a chess piece, that kind of stuff. Last word I had from the office, it looked like payment had been received for the other five jobs. Guess it was just your chip that didn’t make it. First deadbeat we hired to do the job canceled. Hope a storm from the Divide skins him alive. Well, that’s where you came in.”

More confused than ever, she kept asking questions. “He canceled?”

“Yeah, got this look when he saw you next down on the Courier list. His expression turned right around, asked me if your name was for real. I said, sure as lack of rain, you were. Then he turned down the job, just like that. I asked if he was sire, it was good money. No, let ‘Courier Six’ carry the package, that’s what he said - like the Mojave’d sort you out or something. Then he just up and walked out.”

Listening to Mr. Nash tell her about the stranger sent chills down her spine. Why did he call her Courier Six? Why did she even decide to call herself that? Sure, it was coincidental, but it was still creepy. “Do you know who he was? Where he went?”

“No idea. Sounds like you two had a history for him to act like that. And turn down the money, too. Hope he didn’t see any trouble in that package of yours. Maybe he thought your name was bad luck. Not for me to say.”

Now she was more than a little creeped out. She didn’t know anyone whom she could consider having any sort of ‘history’ with, not anyone from the Mojave, anyway. There were people from the Capital Wasteland she knew well enough, but few knew where she’d went. She certainly didn’t know anyone who’d seem as though they’d think her name was bad luck - everyone she had history with, she was on good terms with. “Some men stole my package. A man in a checkered suit and some thugs. Did they pass this way?”

“Well, now that you mention it, a few nights back one of the townies was out scavenging for supplies. He said he saw a fella with a daisy suit come through with some of them Great Khan misfits. They was talking about a chip. But your best bet is going to be talking to Deputy Beagle. Since they came to town he was keeping a good bit of notes on them, and he was slinking around Bison Steve when your pretty-boy friend came through. He may have heard where they were going.”

“You also said something about a cowboy robot a bit ago? Are you talkin’ ‘bout that one over there?” She motioned towards the robot in the middle of the casino.

“Nope. Different fella. Bigger. Had himself a face on a screen, and he talked more like you or me.”

“I see. I didn’t find the Deputy in his home, do you happen to know where he went?”

“Sure do. Last I heard he’d been captured inside Bison Steve.” Six facepalmed after Nash told her the fate of their Deputy. Pointed at him as a gesture of appreciation and headed on over to Bison Steve. After killing several prisoners, she finally found Deputy Beagle kneeling on the floor with his hands tied together. He recognized her immediately. “I don’t suppose you came here to rescue me? I’d cross my fingers but my hands are numb. I’m in a bit of a predicament here. I’d be most appreciative if you’d set me free.”

She pulled out a small switchblade knife from her pocket and extended the blade, “I hear you may have information on some Khans that came through here with a guy in a checkered suit.”

“My good lady, I believe I may have some information that would prove useful. If you would just untie my hands I’d be more than happy to share what information I have with you.”

Six narrowed her eyes and glared at him, “You can tell me or you can rot in here.”

“Well, you look to be the trustworthy sort. Okay, I’ll tell you what I know. I overheard them saying that they are on their way to Novac. If you want to follow them I strongly suggest that you follow the road through Nipton. There are a lot of dangerous things out in the desert, and you won’t have me to protect you, as I need to stay here and keep Primm safe. Now, it would be so very delightful if you set me free.”

She began cutting his bonds, “Okay, I’ll set you free now.”

Once free, he stood up. “Oh that’s just marvelous. I think I’ll be making my way outside now. The air’s a little close in here.”

“I didn’t cut you loose so you could run away. Stick with me!”

“Oh, that’s so gracious of you, to offer to bodyguard me like that? But I’d only slow you down. See you outside!” He took off light a bolt of lightning. “Coward!” Six yelled at him. She had known he was yellow-bellied from the first time she had ever talked to him. Looking around, she wondered how many more prisoner escapees were holed up in Bison Steve, she repaired the elevator and went upstairs to find out. She couldn’t just leave them in Primm to continue hurting townspeople. At one point, she even stripped the clothing off of one of them and put on the Troublemaker’s outfit.

\-----

After clearing the entire hotel out, she walked back into Vikki & Vance, letting Johnson Nash know that the town was safe and everyone could go home. People were starting to leave as Deputy Beagle walked over to her, “Well! That was quite an adventure. We taught those convicts a thing or two, didn’t we? Breaking myself out of a hostage situation - not to diminish your role in it, of course - but it was quite thrilling. Problem is, there’s still no law in Primm. What’re we to do the next time ruffians menace us and hold us hostage?”

Six really didn’t care about Primm being without a sheriff, either the Deputy would step up or they could use the cowboy robot that paced around the Casino. “Can you tell me about the man in the checkered suit who came through here?”

“Ahh yes, my memory is much clearer now that I am free from my bondage. I was sku… er, performing recon, gathering information on some of the Powder Gangers, when some Great Khans arrived with your friend in the suit. They were talking about some delivery they took from a courier, I assume that was you. They said they’d be heading through Nipton to Novac to meet a contact there.”

She nodded in thanks. Nipton. Why did it have to be Nipton? Legionaries bodies probably still rotting where they died. She didn’t want to see them, to have that reminder. Though she did hope that crows had pecked off Vulpes’ dick at this point. She’d decided she would just take a detour around Nipton to get to Novac. She packed up everything she needed and left the wagon and Brahmin to the Nash’s. She didn’t want the constant reminder of Packrat not being with her, not steering the Brahmin where they needed to go. She was going to Novac on foot, and that was that.

Just as she was leaving the Mojave Express, her pip-boy made some static as if it had suddenly picked up a new radio station. She opened it up and sure enough, a new station had appeared. She tuned into that channel and listened to the man speak: _“Howdy. My name is Jed Masterson, and I’m a caravan boss for the Happy Trails Caravan Company. If you’re hearing this, I have a job offer for you. Happy Trails is organizing an expedition north into Utah, off the Long 15, and we need people. We’re looking for caravan guards, prospectors, couriers - if you’re used to humping it across the Wastes straight toward trouble, we want you. If you’ve got a Pip-Boy, we definitely want you. On the other hand, if you’re a greenhorn or a city-slicker spinnin’ tales about your skills, you can kindly go hang. If we like your gumption we’ll pay you square and treat you fair. Find me, Jed Masterson, at the Northern Passage if you’re interested. Luck to ya.”_

She poked her head back into the door, “Either of you tell me where the Northern Passage is located?”

Mr. Nash answered, “Yeah it’s just north of New Vegas itself. Go ‘round the backside of New Vegas and head towards the hills, past the houses. Don’t rightly know where exactly the path is that leads up to that Passage, so keep a close eye out for it.”

“Thank you, sir.”


	12. It's A Sin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Six meets Joshua Graham.

Six didn’t know why she felt compelled to go to the Northern Passage and answer Happy Trails Caravan’s radio broadcast. She knew that she needed to head to Novac, but what exactly was her hurry? She likely wouldn’t catch up with the checkered-suit, but he did seem to be leaving a trail behind for her to follow. Her pockets were almost empty and she could use a good paying job. Caravaning was all she knew, aside from being a courier. Two of the three things she was good at - the third thing was her flawless aim. She followed the directions Mr. Nash had given her, didn’t have much trouble other than the occasional Powder Ganger she had to put a bullet in. She recalled the first time she ever shot an actual human being - that Raider in the Metro Station. She felt guilty for doing it, even lost sleep over it. Since Packrat died? Not remorse for them whatsoever. Bad guys were bad guys, be it the Legion, Powder Gangers, whoever. Didn’t matter to Six anymore. Probably never would again, either.

Finally, she found the Northern Passage, which was a real bitch because what Mr. Nash didn’t tell her… was that it was hidden _within_ the hills themselves. Making sure she’d packed everything she needed, which wasn’t much, she sat her pack on the ground: weapons, ammunition, a few stimpaks, and sentimental things. That was all she had, and all she needed. Taking a deep breath and walked into the passage, coming face to face with a man wearing a Vault Suit. How odd. Both of the Vault Suits she had acquired were neatly rolled up and tucked away deep inside her pack. Unfortunately, she caught the man’s eye and he walked over to her, putting his arm around her waist. “Hey, little lady.” He said, almost gagging Six because his breath smelled of shit and chems. “Don’t be scared to join this caravan! I’ll keep a close eye on you - real close. Promise.”

She removed his sweaty arm from around her. “You do anything around here, besides make women sick?”

“You want to know what I do, Toots? Anything I fucking want! I’m one of a kind! I been places, see? And done things - lots of them! And when it’s time to kill shit up? Hell yeah, I’m a fucking storm of death!” The man seemed to be getting extremely irritated the more he spoke. “Something or someone make the mistake of crossing Ricky? I’ll fucking deadeye him, her, or it! In fact… yeah, in fact, that’s my nickname! Deadeye Ricky - that’s my name!”

Six looked at him and narrowed her eyes, then nodded her head. “Unwarranted hostility and general agitation. How long have you been a Psycho addict?”

“Hey hey hey! Fuck you! I didn’t say nothin’ about using Psycho!”

She stepped close enough to him that they were almost touching. “How much Psycho you got stashed away? If you run out on the trail… the withdrawal’s not pleasant.”

“Goddammit, I didn’t say nothin’ about using Psycho! But, uh… just talking hypno-theoretically here… got any suggestions?”

“I’ve got Psycho to sell, but it won’t come cheap.” She told him.

“All right, all right - I am a little light. How many hits you holdin’?”

“One hit. For 30 caps.”

“One lousy hit? That’ll cover me for an hour! Hand it over.” He gave her the 30 caps, causing her to take notice of his arm.

“I see you’re wearing a pip-boy and Vault suit.”

He rolled his eyes. “Nice job, eagle eye! Of course I got a pit-boy and a Vault suit. So what?”

“Where’d you get the Vault suit?”

“Where the fuck you think? Vault two-two! That’s where I grew up!”

She shook her head at ‘two-two’. “Where is Vault 22 located?”

“I can’t tell you that! I have a sworn vow of secrecy, or something like that, to all the people I left behind.”

She couldn’t hold her tongue, she was calling him on his bullshit. “You’re lying. You have no idea where Vault 22 is.”

He sighed, “Well, yeah, okay. You caught me. I may have been exaggerating a little. Truth is, I got this suit and pit-boy off a dead prospector who came out from Zion. Guy was dead when I found him, okay? Had a ton of shit on him. That’s how I know there’s good loot in Zion, see?”

Six kept on him, hoping to run him off. “What do you use your pip-boy for?”

“Sorry, the shit I do with it is so far over your head, be wasting my time to put it into words you could understand! Basically, it makes me badass. More badass, I mean. It’s totally mind-blowing shit. It ain’t just some bracelet, know what I mean? Jed says it’s got maps and shit like that, so that’s how I’m gonna guide this caravan where it needs to go! Not that I didn’t know all that already!”

Six lifted her arm and pointed at it. “Did you notice I’m wearing a pip-boy, too?”

“Huh?” He looked surprised for a moment. “...of course I noticed! First thing I noticed about you! Me, I’m so used to wearin’ mine, it’s just normal. Don’t think you’re someone special just because you got one.”

She grabbed his arm and raised it up, pointing at the pip-boy, “Your pip-boy isn’t working, idiot. The screen’s locked up, and the reboot button is missing. Good job.”

“Bullshit!” He said. “Ain’t nothin’ wrong with my pit-boy! I mean pip-boy! Look, this is a sweet gig for me! Don’t go fucking it up! What are you after, anyways?”

She leaned in, her face mere inches from his, “What I want…” She paused, looking him in the eyes, as if she were about to kiss him. “...is for you to scram.” She said, pulling back away from him. “This expedition doesn’t need you, _Deadeye_...”

“Fine!” Ricky seemed flustered. “You win, asshole! Enjoy leading the expedition into a fucking ambush! Hope you all die!” He then ran off, leaving the passage.

“I could only be so lucky…” She mumbled under her breath. 

Six turned around when she heard a man talking that sounded like the voice on the radio. She assumed it was Jed Masterson. When she approached him, he smiled at her in a way that warmed her heart. “Howdy, friend.” He said, “Heard my little broadcast, did you? Yeah, you look the type. Damn good thing you came along, too. We had another prospect with a pip-boy, but he done skedaddled. Something must’ve spooked the boy.”

“Okay, let’s do it. Zion here we come!” Six said, trying to get excited about the trip into Utah.

Jed looked at her. “Just like that, huh? You got guts, I’ll give you that. You sure you want to jump in blind? Ain’t got no questions about where we’re goin’ or why?”

“No questions. Let’s go, I’m ready.”

“Are you now? You know we ain’t comin’ back this way for a good long while now, right? And you know about the weight limit? Gotta be under 75 pounds. I don’t want no whinin’ about ‘Oh, Mr. Masterson, I left my one-of-a-kind plasma cannon back at base, can we go back for it?’ So you’re sure you’re ready?”

She looked at Jed, “Relax, I’ve humped this load across the Mojave on my own two feet long enough. I can handle it.” She really hadn’t been humping anything anywhere on her own two feet, but he didn’t need to know that because she knew she could actually handle it.

He rubbed his chin, “Hmm… all right, I reckon you know your limits. You keel over on me out there, though, and I’ll leave your ass. After we take everything useful you crammed in your pack.”

“Look, Mister. I said I’m ready. Can we get a move on?”

“Well, all right then. Let’s get moving. We’ve got a long road ahead of us…”

The group of people exited the cave opposite the way they came in. After about an hour of walking, Jed didn’t take his eyes off of the road, just kept looking straight ahead when he spoke. “The paths we’re following are slow going, so you might as well keep your ears open and listen to what old Jed has to say. A few decades back, folks in the NCR started to hear about a community in northern Utah called New Canaan. Didn’t know much about them, except that they were religious folks. Sent out missionaries to talk to the tribes. We’ve seen our share of cults, but the New Canaanites, they were honest traders. Good fighters, too. Raiders wouldn’t tangle with ‘em. But then the Legion appeared in Arizona. I reckon you know all about them. Turns out Caesar’s first war chief, the Malpais Legate, was a New Canaanite. Joshua Graham. Legend goes that Graham was the meanest, toughest son of a bitch in the whole damned Legion. The New Canaanites wouldn’t talk about him. They were ashamed. Guess I can’t blame ‘em. Well at Hoover Dam, the Malpais Legate finally met his match. Hanlon and Oliver kicked his New Canaanite butt right back over the river. Caesar had to make an example for the others, to show them that even at the highest level, failure wouldn’t be tolerated. He had Graham covered in pitch, lit on fire, and thrown into the Grand Canyon. People say he didn’t even scream on the way down. Not long after, some of the slaves and tribals started to talk. Said Graham wasn’t dead. Shouldn’t have been any surprise. All this talk bothered Caesar, so he forbade anyone from speaking his name. Wanted to erase Joshua Graham from history. He got his wish. Joshua Graham disappeared. And in his place came legends of the Burned Man walking the wastes. Probably just a tribal ghost story. But New Canaan’s been silent for a long time. Maybe it’s a coincidence. Maybe the Malpais Legate is dead. Or maybe Joshua Graham did crawl out of that canyon and finally found his way back home.”

New Canaan. That was new. Six had never heard of such a place before. But that didn’t mean that it didn’t exist. The name had a sort of ring to it though, not one she’d ever be able to forget. The Joshua Graham story gave her the creeps a little bit though. She thought she was hard to kill, if this Joshua Graham fella wasn’t dead… he must be made out of tougher stuff that she seemed to be. Which made her feel uneasy. While she was busy thinking, hours passed. She didn’t know how many just that apparently they were getting close to their destination because they had finally entered Utah. Jed turned around and spoke to everyone, “I know your feet hurt, I know you’re tired. But I need everyone’s mind on the trail ahead.” Six could see why as she looked over the edge to the canyon below.

A woman spoke up, “Ain’t the trail ahead worries me, Jed. Those descents we made, through that slot canyon back up there? Ain’t no way we’re gettin’ back out the way we come. And then what?”

Jed got agitated. “Goddammit, Stella, heard you the first time, and the fifteenth, too. The New Canaanites will know a way.” He then gestures over to Six. “And if they don’t, we got the maps on our friend’s pip-boy over there. Enough lollygaggin’! Get moving and keep an eye out for tribals!”

Stella took a sarcastic tone as she walked away from him, “Sorry to bother you with reality, ol’ Jed. Who cares if we can’t get back out the way we come? That’s not a problem.”

Making their way down the winding path that laid before them, suddenly Jed crouched low to the ground, as did the others behind him. Two were in front of him. “Shhhhh! Hold on, now…” He whispered. “Could swear I heard something up ahead.” As soon as he got those words out, Six could make out what she assumed were tribals - their skin painted pure white with red streaked across their faces, the armor they worse was extremely crude and shotty. “Goddammit, ambush!” Jed yelled. “Cover, people! Watch yourselves!” The shootout had begun. Bullets were flying in every direction, but one by one, the Happy Trails Caravan Company went down. Six looked around after killing the last tribal to discover she was the only survivor. 

“MOTHERFUCKER!” She yelled out at the top of her lungs. Six couldn’t believe it - could she simply not die? Whatever it was had really pissed her off. The one person in the group who likely welcomed death, and she didn’t get it. “Great.” She said to herself, “Now what?” She supposed she’d press on to New Canaan, get them to tell her how to get the fuck outta this place and back to Nevada. She took a bridge across the canyon, on the other side there was another one of those tribals waiting for her. She aimed to shoot, but before she could, the tribal went down. A strange looking man popped up in his place and spoke to her, “Hoi! White Legs don’t leave survivors often. You’re some kind of lucky, let me tell you.” Lucky wasn’t quite the word she would’ve used. “You came from outside, didn’t you?” He continued. “From the civilized lands? Wow… Joshua will want to hear about this.”

She froze at the name ‘Joshua’. Did this tribal mean Joshua Graham? Was she supposed to follow him? He seemed much more safe than the other tribals, this one didn’t try to kill her, at least. “Civilized lands? What do you mean?” She asked him.

“I mean the Lands Beyond the Valley - the place where the cities never fell. Where people don’t live in tribes and forage just to survive. Joshua keeps saying it isn’t paradise out there, but how can it not be, compared to this? Sorry, I’m getting distracted - Joshua will want to know about you - please, go to our camp on the Eastern Virgin. Tell him how you came to be here.”

She looked at him, then wrapped her arm around his shoulder. “You’ve got a funny idea about what the Mojave’s like, but I’ll go with you and see your boss.” She figured she may as well make friends with the guy, he’d be leading her to… wherever it was she was heading.

“Goot sists.” He said. “Maybe while you’re there you can tell me about where you came from, yeah?”

“Yeah, I think I can do that. My name is Six, by the way.”

“I am Follows-Chalk.” He pointed out in front of them. “We follow this path for a while. Nice view of the river, neh?” After a short distance, Follows-Chalk spoke again, pointing towards a paved road. “You can take the path north here if you want, or head east over the ridge. There’s a nice view from the top of that cliff, if you want a look.” Six shook her head and followed the paved road, coming up on decapitated heads stuck on the end of pikes. It reminded her of the things she saw in Nipton. She wiped away the few tears that had fallen from her eyes. Follow-Chalk was behind her, so she knew he didn’t see her get emotional. But he did see her take notice of the heads. “You see the dead sentries? Shamans say our enemies’ souls are trapped in them, but Joshua says it shows we’re serious about fighting the White Legs.”

She just nodded her head and continued down the road. Coming up on what looked to be some sort of old station, she noticed all the red handprints. Follows-Chalk decided to tell her about those, as well. “See those handprints? Dead Horses and Sorrows mark them on taboo places, places from Back When. Good thing to you I don’t buy into that stuff.”

\-----

Finally, after what seemed like forever to Six, they came to the Eastern Virgin. She didn’t mind being in Follow-Chalk’s company, but she would mind it a lot less if he didn’t talk so much. She didn’t want to get to know him, she just wanted this Joshua to tell her how to get the hell back to Nevada. That was it. To no surprise, just as she was thinking Follows-Chalk had ran out of things to talk about, he spoke again. “Here we are. Joshua’s just ahead there, in the Angel Cave.” She thanked him and made a beeline for that cave, hoping to get away from him and his constant talking. As soon as she stepped foot inside, a tribal woman stood and spoke, “Hoi! Owslandr zookuh Joshua Graham?” 

She didn’t speak their language, but could put two and two together and figure out simple things. “Am I… looking for Joshua? Yes, I am. Can you tell me where he is?” She said politely to the woman.

“You know our tongue - smart owslandr. Joshua in high place of cave. You show respect, utman! Joshua is greatest warrior. You show him no respect, he show you thunder and fire!”

She didn’t take very kindly to what sounded like a threat coming from this woman. Hell, she didn’t even know whether or not this woman would try to murder her in her sleep - which would be welcomed, but wasn’t the point. Still, she kept it civil. “I’ll make sure to be on my best behavior, then.”

“You wise for owslandr.”

Making her way through the cave, up the inclines and around the curves, she entered a room to see a man, bandaged around his head and arms, sitting on a large rock, assembling pistols. Was this _actually_ Joshua Graham? Was this _really_ the Burned Man? It had to be. She was intimidated but intrigued. He had to be tough as nails to survive what he had. Maybe he could relate to how she felt. He looked up and spoke to her in a low, mesmerizing tone. “We should have given you a better welcome on your first visit to Zion, but from what I hear, the White Legs beat us to it. White Legs seem to be the only visitors we have these days, and I wouldn’t have expected anyone from the Mojave to come looking for us. And you’re a courier, no less. Not the one I was expecting, but I suppose he wouldn’t have come with a caravan. I don’t know if you were close to the other members of your group, but you have my sympathy. I pray for the safety of all good people who come to Zion, even Gentiles, but we can’t expect God to do all the work.”

She was so hypnotized by the man’s voice that she almost couldn’t speak, but she managed. “How do you know so much about what happened to me?”

He looked at her, his gaze finding hers. She felt like he was looking through her soul, his voice felt as if it reverberated through the very fiber of her being. “The Dead Horses are capable scouts. Nothing passes into or out of Zion without my hearing of it.”

Every time he uttered anything, it felt like her heart jumped into her throat. She had to swallow hard before speaking. “I came here with the Happy Trails Caravan Company to make contact with the New Canaanites.”

He went back to assembling the pistols that laid in front of him. “Happy Trails. I remember. They were good friends. I have bad news for your employers. New Canaan was destroyed, its citizens scattered. All because of the White Legs. And Caesar, of course. The White Legs want to join the Legion. Caesar’s rite of passage is the destruction of the New Canaanites, almost assuredly because of me. The good news is that we can help you find your way back. Daniel, one of the other New Canaanites, has made many maps of the region. The bad news is that we can’t help you right now. Not with everything that’s going on.”

“I’m not going to leave without offering help. What can I do?”

“You’re a good neighbor to us. We all go through period of darkness. In such times, we can turn to the Lord, but it’s good to have friends. I could really use your help assembling these guns. It may seem tedious, but it would go faster if it were more than just myself.” Joshua grabbed a chair and sat it next to him before she had the chance to agree to the task she’d just been given. He pulled her chair out for her as she sat. “We haven’t formally been introduced yet. As you may already know, I am Joshua. May I ask your name?” He sat down, going back to the pistols.

“Six.” She replied, starting to assemble the weapons.

“Interesting name. I suppose, though, it wouldn’t be any different than if I would’ve introduced myself to you as the Burned Man - a name given to me long ago. Did you choose the name for yourself or did someone choose it for you?”

“I chose it. Mojave Express had 6 packages to be delivered to the Strip in New Vegas, I was the sixth. Courier number 6.”

“I see.”

“What did you say earlier about a courier? Who were you expecting?” She inquired.

Joshua looked over at her then back to his guns, “Caesar would never admit this openly, but he knows that I’m alive. I’ve killed enough of his frumentarii and assassins that have come looking. I’ve heard one of them travels the Mojave as a courier. Most of Caesar’s agents meet a fitting end in NCR territory, but maybe this one survived.”

“Nice guns.” Six decided to change the subject.

“In the Great Basin and Colorado Plateau, all tribes are known for a specific weapon. White Legs are known for their big submachine guns, ‘storm drums’. They broke into an armory near Spanish Fork and have been using them for years. Of course, the Dead Horses have their wooden war clubs and even the Sorrows have their Yao Guai gauntlets. This type of .45 automatic pistol was designed by one of my tribe almost four hundred years ago. Learning its use is a New Canaanite rite of passage.”

“I also heard something earlier about praying and God? What are you talking about?”

“I am a New Canaanite. We believe we are the heirs of a spiritual tradition given to our ancestors thousands of years ago. We have made and kept covenants with our Lord, God, to honor his laws. In exchange, we are promised eternal salvation after this life. A day will come when our Lord returns to judge us all. Until then, we must honor his laws and start others along the path of salvation if we can. That’s why we trade with others and work the tribes. We have more than food and medicine to offer. Good news is our most valuable commodity.”

Six shrugged her shoulders, “Sounds like a good deal.”

“In a world filled with misery and uncertainty, it is a great comfort to know that, in the end, there is light in the darkness. Every day, we move closer to our judgment. We must do our best to talk in the footsteps of our Lord and teach others how to do the same. For many of us, the road is a different one, but the path is always there for us to follow, no matter how many times we may fall.”

She stopped and put the gun down, placing her hand gently on his bandaged arm. “Do you ever ‘fall’?” 

He froze, a half-assembled gun still in his hand. He didn’t raise his head, he just turned it and looked down at her hand. “Every day.” He looked up at her, his eyes affixed on hers. “Some days are… harder than others.”

“Can I ask you some… personal questions?”

Joshua returned to assembling the guns in front of him once again. “It's not something I enjoy, but I pray to God that someone may learn from my mistakes. What would you like to know?”

“Are you in much pain? Is there anything I can do to help?”

“You are kind to offer, but no, there's nothing you can do. We don't use chems, but I learned long ago that I'm immune to their effects. It never stops burning. My skin. Every day, I have to unwind the bandages and replace them with fresh ones. Exposing my body to the air is like living through it again. But it's better to be clean than comfortable.”

“How… did you survive what Caesar did to you?”

“I survived because the fire inside burned brighter than the fire around me. I fell down into that dark chasm, but the flame burned on and on. The next morning, I woke up and crawled out of the northern edge of the Grand Canyon, that cursed place. It took me three months to reach New Canaan. It was as though the prodigal son had returned. They welcomed me like I had never left, never done anything to shame them. The fire that had kept me alive was love. Their love. God's love. I will never be able to repay the debt I owe to them, but I must try.”

He’d answered every one of her questions, except the one that had been eating away at her. The one person who she’d met that could possible feel the same way she did. “Ever wish you would’ve died?”

He stopped, turned his body to face her. “I used to, yes. But not anymore. I could tell you to put your faith in God, as I did, in order to feel differently. However, that isn’t for me to decide. I can only teach you what I know, if you’re willing to learn. The decision on where your faith goes, is up to you. Now that I’ve answered your questions, I must tell you that I believe turnabout is fair play. So it is your turn to answer mine.” Six reluctantly nodded her head. “Alright. What happened to you that caused you to ask me that last question?” She shook her head, trying to fight the tears back, trying to contain the lump in her throat. Joshua placed his hand on her knee, his fingers were the only thing that weren’t bandaged. They felt warm against her skinned knee that shown through her ripped blue jeans. “It’s all right. You can cry. It’s good for the soul. Tell me what happened.”

Tears began to flow out of Six’s eyes as she recalled the events that had unravelled since the day that she and Packrat left Little Lamplight. A time when she was still Rabbit, Packrat’s younger sister - but only by a few minutes. The twins had been through the death of their parents, being forced from the only home they knew… twice. Leaving the Capital Wasteland and it taking 2 months longer than it should’ve to make it to Nevada. How Packrat always looked after her, he was all she had ever known outside of Lamplight - he was her protector, her leader, her best friend. Without him she felt lost. She felt that his death meant that she had failed him. She missed him deeply, but didn’t have the courage to end her own life, so instead she hoped. Hoped someone else would do it for her. She recollected what happened with Packrat that night outside of Primm. How she wasn’t wanting it to happen, but when it happened, she didn’t want it to end. She always felt close to Packrat, but that… that made her feel even closer to him. Something she didn’t think was possible. Now, now he seems so far away. She told him it felt like she was slowly dying from the inside out. She had never felt pain so immense and so constant. She rarely slept. She rarely cared for her own safety. She had become sleep-deprived and reckless, but she didn’t care. She didn’t feel like she had a reason to live anymore. Her reason died with her brother that day. The Capital Wasteland was her home, it was what she knew. The only thing she knew in the Mojave, was Packrat. It had only been a year since they’d left the comforts of Little Lamplight, and her brother was already taken from her. Barely 17, and he’d been killed by the Legion, and Six was left to fend for herself. Joshua pulled her to him, having her rest her head against his shoulder as he rubbed up and down her back. She cried as she told him how badly she missed her brother. 

Joshua Graham, the Burned Man, once the Malpais Legate, caressed this girl as she sobbed into him. His shirt soaked up her tears. His bandages muffled her cries of sadness and heartache. She was but a stranger to him coming into Zion, the only thing he knew of her was what the Dead Horses could tell him. He had no idea his heart would be breaking for her as she told her life’s story to his tear-stained shirt. Joshua ran his fingers through her short hair, trying to console her. He laid his head carefully onto hers and whispered, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” She continued sobbing, seemingly inconsolable. Joshua spoke further, “My dear girl, God works in mysterious ways. No one can live forever. Only with the Lord may you live for eternity. Although your beloved brother may not be here in physical body, he will always be with you in spirit. Your memories of him keep him alive in you.” 

She sniffled and looked up into his eyes, the only part of his face she could see between the bandages, “Why, then, does it seem like I can’t die?”

He took a deep breath. “I don’t have the answer to that question. But, I could ask the same about myself. Set ablaze and thrown into the deepest canyon, and yet… I lived. We will all die in time, but in God’s time.” 

As Joshua dried her eyes and wiped the tears from her face with his bandaged hands, she couldn’t help but feel bad for dumping her problems on him. She felt like he’d had more than enough suffering for three lifetimes, but yet listened to her rave about her brother. “I’m sorry… for telling you all of this. I know you’ve suffered much more than I have.”

Although she couldn’t see it, he smiled. “The past should be left in the past. Otherwise it can destroy your future. Live your life for what tomorrow has to offer, not for what yesterday has taken away.” He reached up and separated the bandages, and with his burn-scarred lips, he gently kissed the top of her head. “Come.” He said, standing up. “You’ve had along journey and suffered a great many losses, let me show you where you’ll be sleeping. I hope you don’t mind sharing a room with me. But don’t worry, you will have your own bed and a place to put your things.” He picked up her pack and led her to his private bedroom that contained two beds. His moved with care, yet not slowly. He’d become somewhat accustomed to the pain he felt daily. The Burned Man sat Six’s belongings down on the bed she would be sleeping in, motioning for her to sit. She did as he’d directed. Walking over to his own bed, Joshua sat down and began to unravel his bandages. “You may look away if you find me hideous or grotesque. I won’t take offense. I know that I am... difficult... to look at.” Six watched as he revealed his terribly scarred flesh, but she wasn’t disgusted. She noticed how carefully he unwound the material that wrapped his body, almost completely from head to toe. His face crinkled as he winced in pain when the cool cave air hit his skin. Six got up and sat down beside him, and taking the fresh cloth into her own hands, she began to re-wrap him. Joshua was astonished at her actions. “You don’t have to do that.” He said.

“I know I don’t have to. But I want to… unless you’re not okay with it.”

“It is a generous deed. I thank you.” He couldn’t stop looking at this young woman in amazement. “I have yet another question for you, if I may.”

“Okay. Go ahead.” She said, concentrating on his bandages making sure not to hurt him.

“What do you prefer that I call you? You introduced yourself to me as Six, but you’ve also said you were called Rabbit at one time. Surely neither of those are your given name.”

“My name is Emery. Honestly, you can call me whatever you like. The only people who know me by ‘Rabbit’ are those in the Capital Wasteland, and my brother whom everyone called Packrat. His real name was Everett. Nobody knows me as Emery, except Elder Lyons. He’s with the Brotherhood of Steel - also in the Capital Wasteland. My brother only called me Emery when he was irritated at me. I’ve been introducing myself as ‘Six’ since his passing.”

“Alright, I shall call you Six then, since that’s what you’re going by now.” He watched her eyes as she encased him in his bandages. When she got to his shoulder, she softly place her fingertips against his skin - the first skin-to-skin contact since before the incident. He could see tears pooling in her eyes again. “What’s wrong?” He was puzzled as to why she was starting to cry.

“I’m so sorry that this happened to you.”

For a moment her kindness had left him speechless. He hadn’t had anyone give him sympathy for what had happened. He didn’t expect anyone to. “I deserved nothing less. I did unspeakable things, working for Caesar. Things that you could not imagine, even in your darkest nightmares. Those acts are replayed back to me, almost every night. Every life I took, every person I harmed, I’m reminded of when I close my eyes. Though I’m a different man now, I am still one in the same.”

“No.” She said as she finished wrapping him. “You didn’t deserve… this. To live in pain every day. You’re a good man, Joshua. If you weren’t, I wouldn’t be sitting here with you right now.”

“I wasn’t always a good man.”

“A wise man once told me, the past should be left in the past.” She could tell by the way his eyes wrinkled at the corners, that beneath all that material, he was smiling. Joshua reached up to caress the side of her face, but hesitated. He didn’t think she would welcome his touch on her bare skin. And yet again, she surprised him. Six gently took his hand and placed it against her cheek.

Caressing her face, feeling her warmth through his bandaged hand, her kindness was overwhelming. “It may sound silly to you, but I believe that you are God-sent. Before today, before your acts of kindness, I was thinking about getting my vengeance on a man named Salt-Upon-Wounds. He is the Warchief of the White Legs tribe - the one who destroyed New Canaan. Your kindness, that seems to know no bounds, has made me think perhaps I should reconsider.”

“I know what it’s like to want revenge. Believe me.” She said. “I plan to kill every Legionnaire I come across, including Caesar himself. Or I’ll die trying.”

 

Joshua pulled Six to him once more, hugging her softly. “Wait for the Lord, and He will avenge you.”

“I can’t do that, Joshua. Those bastards are the sole reason my brother is dead. I cannot and will not stand for it. I can’t, in good conscience, let them continue and cause pain to someone else.”

“Your kindness, much like your beauty, is staggering. I believe you have fire burning hot inside you… one that will not easily be extinguished. Caesar and his Legion should be worried.”

Six nodded and went to her own bed, taking most of her clothes off, she pulled the thin sheet over her and fell asleep. Joshua laid there, his skin burning from exposure to the air, but his heart burned more. She had sparked something inside his body that he hadn’t felt in what seemed like eternity. As he watched her chest rise and fall with each breath, he forgot about the pain and drifted off to sleep.


	13. Blue Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joshua and Six talk. Smut ensues. She leaves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter, mostly for smut.
> 
> Also, the poem at the end is "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas if you're interested in reading the entire thing. It's always been one of my favorites and I was happy as hell to be able to work it in. Think it made quite a farewell.

Joshua had another night terror. It wasn’t uncommon. It startled him awake, as they usually did. Every time that happened, it sent shock waves of pain throughout his entire body. He carefully got out of bed, put his clothes on, and stepped outside. He gathered it was sometime around midnight from the position of the large moon. Not a single soul was awake as he stood there with folded arms, looking over everything the moon lit up. Hearing quiet footsteps coming up behind him, he paid them no attention until he heard a tiny voice speak from behind him.

“Joshua?” Six said as she walked into the moonlight, with her covers wrapped around her.

He kept his back to her as he spoke, “Blue moon tonight.”

“It’s not blue.” She said, taking place at his side.

“It’s called a ‘blue moon’ when it’s the second full moon in one calendar month. Some also refer to full moons as a blue moon when it’s the third of fourth in a season.”

“Oh. That doesn’t make sense.” Gently, she leaned her head softly against his arm then felt his body shift slightly.

“What are you doing out of bed, Six?”

“Hadda bad dream.”

“As did I. I hope I didn’t startle you by not being there.”

“It did, which is why I came lookin’ for you. Wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

Joshua put his hand on her lower back, led her into the cave and up to his room, without saying anything further. He sat with her on her bed and caressed her hand, “You needn’t worry about me, dear girl. I’m fine. I’m always fine.”

“I don’t believe that.”

“Oh? My curiosity has been piqued. Why do you say that?”

“Because… _look_ at yourself. You’re… you’re practically a mummy, for fuck’s sake! Caesar did you _terribly_ wrong. You’re scarred for life, in the most literal way possible. I can’t imagine the pain you felt when Caesar had you set on fire. I can’t imagine the pain you felt when you were thrown into that canyon and… _bounced_ off of the canyon walls until you finally hit ground. Can’t imagine what it was like to have time to process what exactly was happening on the way down. I feel like it probably seemed to take an eternity before you finally found bottom. I can’t fathom the pain you still feel every single day. Yet, you go on, teaching these tribals about your Lord. Trying to help them. You’ve surely helped me. You’ve given me more sympathy than any stranger ever has… or ever would, I figure. You have welcomed me into your land, your home, and your bedroom… with open arms. You’ve been a shoulder for me to cry on. I can never repay that.”

Joshua took her into his arms once more and held her. “My darling, your kindness is more than enough repayment. Not once has anyone tried to comfort me or sympathize about what happened with Caesar. You are the only one who has been so caring. I cannot thank you enough for that. For showing me that I am more than just a ‘burned man’. And I know that it’s out of place for me to say, since we’ve known each other for such a short period of time… but you warm the very ventricles of my heart. An accomplishment I would have never imagined would be possible for anyone to achieve.” He pulled away from her slightly, placing a finger under her chin, he tilted her head upwards to look at him. Drunken with hope, he moved his bandages apart, revealing his scarred lips to her. She looked at them, but did not flinch. He slowly inched his lips towards her, giving her ample opportunity to pull away from him. Their lips were so close that he could feel her breath on him. Sighing deeply, he closed his eyes, and ever-so-softly kissed her lips while he embraced her. Tears streamed down from his eyes, staining the material that covered his face. He’d yearned for intimate physical contact since the incident, but never found it until this moment. Joshua’s insides were ignited with a burning intensity… a longing… a need. Trying to resist the situation that had risen, Joshua pulled away from her. He looked down at the ground, clasped his hands together, and began whispering: “There hath no temptation taken hold of you but such as is common to man. But God is faithful; He will not suffer you to be tempted beyond that which ye are able to bear, but with the temptation will also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” His concentration broke when he felt Six place her hand on his arm. His eyes jumped open and set a fiery gaze upon her. This was more than mere passion to Joshua, but rather a visceral need that threatened to overwhelm him. His viscera felt something akin to molten lava. A burning hotter than being set aflame. His flesh rose with fever as he could feel his grasp on resisting temptation slip away. Instantly, his lips met hers. He wasn’t sure how this was going to work, but it was going to, one way or another.

“I’m going to make love to you, Six. If you have any doubts, now is the time to express them.”

“I don’t.” She replied without hesitation.

“Then remove your clothing for me, girl, and I shall take you.” Passionate lust had won.

Gently, she laid down onto the bed and began pulling her clothes off, exposing herself to him. He touched her bare skin softly with his fingertips but he wanted to feel more of her. He wanted to remove his bandages, although he had a nagging inside his head telling him not to - that it would only cause her to reject him. Joshua couldn’t help it any longer and unwrapped himself. His skin burned as the air came in contact with it, but the fire inside him was much more intense. Recklessly abandoning his judgment and willpower, Joshua parted Six’s legs gazing at her silky skin, carefully settling himself over her. He worshipped her breasts for a moment before guiding himself to her wet entrance. Embedding his manhood into her with great care and placing his body down onto hers, sent searing pains throughout him, but he did not falter. The Burned Man rocked his hips back and forth, keeping his rhythm steady as he delved his arousal inside her. After their bodies had been entwined, for what seemed like eternity, he noticed her breath quicken and her body quiver. “Surrender yourself to me, Six.” He whispered. “I want to feel it.” His pace slowed even more, almost painfully so, but he wanted to feel every wave that he sent lightning through her. He wanted her passion to burn as hot as his. He felt her body tense up and quake, causing her to grasp at the pillow underneath her head. “Yes, girl, let go. Cry out, let the tribals know that it is I who gives you great pleasure.” Six quivered beneath him as he slowly rocked. Her sex throbbed around his violently, crying out his name as a feeling more intense than ever crashed through her body, causing her pure ecstasy. This, too, pushed Joshua over the edge into ecstasy as he experienced more pain and pleasure than he had before. Moaning out her name, he released himself far into her core, filling her entirely. He didn’t move, he didn’t want to. He wanted to remain there, inside Six for as long as possible. Which he did. So long, in fact, that he took her a second time. Again, laying on top of her, remaining inside her, until he couldn’t. Finally, Joshua lifted himself from her body and began to replace his bandages. She started to get up out of bed to help him, but he declined, telling her to just lay there and enjoy herself. Six obeyed. He sat down beside her once re-wrapped, cupping her face, “I want to be intimate with you as much as I can. I want to be one body, one soul. It seems as if you are the only being who can understand my emotional anguish.” Joshua came to the conclusion that for as long as she was in Zion, she belonged to him. But he knew, it wouldn’t last. Eventually, she would leave. 

And leave, she did.

\-----

Six had been there nearly a month when she approached him, on a late November afternoon as the Burned Man watched the sun creep towards the horizon. “Joshua?” Her toned was forced, but worried. He knew.

“Yes, my darling?”

“Joshua… I… can’t stay here any longer. I’ve got to find a man in a checkered suit who I’ve ignored… about a month too long. I gotta… stick it to the Legion… for my brother. I have to get back to New Vegas.”

He took a deep breath and a hard swallow, yet kept his back to her. “If you can’t stay, then don’t. I’m not going to force you. You’re free to go as you please, when you please.”

“Are you going to be okay?” She asked as tears threatened to fall.

“I’m always okay, dear girl.”

She walked over to him and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Come with me, Joshua. Please. I’ve felt so alone without my brother, until I came here, met you…”

Joshua stood and looked into her eyes. “You know that I can’t go with you. I’m the Dead Horses leader, their Warchief. I cannot abandon them. Daniel and I have decided to help them escape Zion. Once they have built a life for themselves, they can decide on a new Warchief. But until then, I cannot, in good conscience, leave them to their own devices with the White Legs around. I hope you understand, Six.”

She did, though she didn’t want to. “I know. I understand.”

“Once they’ve appointed a new Warchief, I will leave them. I pray I cross paths with you again.” And he would, thrice a day, halting only if his gaze ever met hers once more. Or, upon his death. Joshua, Daniel, The Dead Horses, and Sorrows all led her to the canyon that would take her back to New Vegas. It was not without its dangers, but she would persevere. On their way to the path that would lead her on, they discussed her plans for Caesar’s Legion and the unknown man in the checkered suit. Joshua was still overwhelmed at the fire that burned brightly inside of her, wishing he could experience it once more. He didn’t want her to leave, but knew she couldn’t stay. He wanted that fire to continuously burn bright inside her, for that rage to ignite and push her forth. Because that… would keep her alive.

Before Six embarked on her journey alone, with tears in their eyes, Joshua Graham took her by the hand. Pulling her to him, the Burned Man held her, placing his head atop hers. The former Malpais Legate, with a low and shaky voice, gave to her words she would never forget: “Do not go gentle into that good night. Old age should burn and rave at close of day; rage, rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at their end know dark is right, because their words had forked no lightning, they do not go gentle into that good night.” With a final kiss and tear-soaked skin, she departed. Joshua watched as Six, the girl who changed his life forever, disappeared into the canyon. “God speed, my darling. May the Lord protect you... and lead you back to me.”


	14. Something's Gotta Give

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Six is back in search of Checkered-Suit guy. Finds Novac. Meets Manny. Meets Boone. Boone disapproves of pretty much everything.

Six moved like a derailed freight train through the Tribals, Yao Guai, and whatever else Utah decided to throw at her. She felt as if the lands were trying to kill her spirit, to push her away from what she so desperately sought - vengeance. She wanted to reign down hellfire and brimstone, the very same Joshua had told her about. She wanted Caesar to burn. To feel the pain he inflicted upon Joshua Graham. The Burned Man who would always hold a soft, albeit dark, place very close to Six’s heart. She was now out for vengeance not just for Packrat. But for Joshua as well. Granted, Graham survived, but at what cost? “Fuck Caesar.” Was what Six mumbled almost every time she took one of the White Legs down. It was tempting for her to find Salt-Upon-Wounds and take him out as well, making the valley safer for the Dead Horses and Sorrows. Maybe someday. Maybe she'd return to Zion and check to see how everyone, especially Joshua, was doing. She had come to care for the tribes she knew in a short time. They were friendly, brilliant, and taught her their ways of survival. It made her better. It made her deadly. 

As she traveled, she would come across Dead Horses or Sorrows from time to time. They were friendly each time they noticed her near by. Most would even stop whatever scouting they were doing to greet her and speak for a bit. She began to think, though. Rummaging through her pack she managed to find some useless junk she scavenged. Turns out, it wasn't so useless. Six pulled out the pencil and dirty paper. And she wrote:

_"Joshua,_

_Standing here about to walk out of Zion, I decided to write you this letter. I hope it finds its way to you without a problem. I know that by the time you receive this, I'll be further from you than I care to be. I never told you, but I came to care for you a great deal. I want you to know that I'll never forget you or the things you taught me about your Lord. This ‘God’ sounds like an okay guy. I learned so much from you. But, I also taught myself something as well - how to turn sorrow and self-pity into rage. When I think of my brother, I'm not sad as often. Instead I become enraged. I will not go gentle into the dark night... and I will rage against the dying of the light. I'll never forget those words, nor will I forget you, for as long as I live._

_Death is the reason I started this letter, it just seemed wildly inappropriate to write a letter only about that. If you find out that I've died, I want you to make sure I'm buried in the middle of the Goodsprings cemetery next to my brother. It's important to me. I know you'll understand. You always do._

_Yours,  
6." _

She gave it to the next Dead Horse or Sorrow she saw and they promised to deliver it back to Joshua. He received it later on during the night. And when he read it, he stifled the tears, just barely. Then delicately, he folded the letter and tucked it away. 

\-----

After a 4 day journey on foot, she made it through the Devil’s Gullet and collapsed somewhere between Ranger Station Bravo and Bitter Springs. Joshua’s words still echoed through her head as she picked herself up off of the ground, trying to push herself forward. Making it to what seemed to be a fisherman’s shack on the shore of Lake Mead before she collapsed again. She knew dehydration would take her soon if she didn't do something. Six didn't want to drink the lake water, but she didn't have much choice - it was that, or die. And she wasn't ready to die, not yet, not until she put a bullet in Caesar and the checkered-suit. Scooping the water into her hand, she tried not to think about the smell of dead fish and the amount of possible radiation she was about to consume. She could only drink a couple of handfuls before she couldn't stomach anymore. Six stood, but felt weak, she knew it was only a matter of time before she'd become too weak to walk. Around El Dorado Dry Lake, she noticed the familiar green dinosaur standing tall against the sky. She made it to the dino’s feet and collapsed one final time. Her eyes were barely open as she saw cowboy boots walking towards her. She barely had enough energy to see the older man as he picked her up off of the grown.

A few hours later, she awoke in an empty Dino Dee-Lite office. There was a Sunset Sarsaparilla vending machine in the corner, Six banged on it until a few bottles fell out and she chugged two down. Walking around the front desk office, drinking from the third Sunset Sarsaparilla, a floor safe caught her eye. “I wonder…” She pulled a couple of bobby pins out of her hair and stuck them into the lock. Twisting and turning, listening for the right clicks and clacks, the safe popped open. Its contents weren't much other than a handful of caps and some kind of Bill of Sale. Regardless, Six shoved the caps and Bill of Sale into her pocket and laid back down onto the couch, falling asleep until the door closing woke her up. 

Opening one eye, she focused her sight on the woman that now stood behind the counter. Pulling herself off of the couch, she walked up to her. The woman looked at her warmly, “Well. Welcome to you. You look tired from the road. Why don't you relax a spell, let this fine town take care of you?”

“We, um, haven't even met yet. I'm Six.” 

“Oh, what am I doing? I got thinking about making a good impression and plain forgot to tell you my name. I’m Jeannie May. I take care of folks here at the motel. Long as they aren’t trouble makers.”

“I’m looking for a man in a checkered coat. Have you seen anyone like that?”

“Well he might’ve been wearing a fancy outfit, but he wasn’t any kind of a gentleman to me. Had his nose stuck so high in the air, you couldn’t see it above the clouds. City folk, they always think they deserve better than what they got. Those hoodlums he was with seemed to know Manny for some reason. He’s our daytime sniper, up in the dinosaur’s mouth.”

“Thanks for your help. Any idea where I can get some supplies?”

“Go see Cliff Briscoe at the Dino Bite Gift Shop, and Tell him I sent you. I think he gets lonely standing around in that dino belly all day. He’ll be glad for the company.”

“I’d like to rent a room, also... if you’ve got one to spare.” She figured that she may as well stay in town so she can be damn sure to meet with Manny about the checkered-suit.

“Well, I think that’s a fine idea. I’ll give you a good flat rate of 100 caps and you can stay as long as you like. Least till the busy season comes. Sound good?”

“Sure thing, here you go.” Six handed her 100 caps. Sounded to her like she found a place to call home.

“I’m glad you can stay with us.” Jeannie May said with a smile. “Your room will be the one upstairs, closest to the lobby side. Here’s your key. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to make your stay better for you.”

Six thanked the woman and let her know that she didn’t need anything for the moment. She went out to find her hotel room - the number on the door was hardly legible. 332? 322? She had no idea. But she had a key, a roof, and a bed. That was all she cared about. Unlocking the door and entering the room, without looking up, she pulled the Bill of Sale she stole out of her pocket and read it. It said:

_"We, the representatives of the Consul Officiorum, have this day bargained and purchased from Jeannie May Crawford of the township of Novac the exclusive rights to ownership and sale of the slave Carla Boone for the sum of one thousand bottle caps, and those of her unborn child for the sum of five hundred bottle caps, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged. We warrant the slave and her young to be sound, healthy, and slaves for life. We covenant with the said, Jeannie May Crawford, that we have full power to bargain and sell said slave and her offspring. Payment of an additional five hundred bottle caps will be due pending successful maturation of the fetus, the claim to which shall be guaranteed by possession of this document._

_M. Scribonius Libo Drusus et al._  
_Administrators of M. Licinius Crassus, Colonel Officiorum ab Famulatus"_  


“What the fuck…? I don’t know what all this means, but it sounds like Jeannie May is a real piece of work.” She said to herself, putting the paper back into her pocket. She looked up and around the room… the first thing she noticed was a teddy bear on the bed. She sat her pack down on the nearby couch and pulled out the bear her brother had given to her - Packrat, she named it. For him. Six scooped up the bear from the bed, “I’ll call you… Rabbit. You can be Packrat’s new sister.” She smiled as she hugged both bears gently, then laid on the bed, teddy bears in her arms, and cried until she fell asleep. 

Six woke up with groggy, swollen eyes. Her head hurt. “I shoulda known better than to cry like that…” She glanced out the grime-covered windows to barely make out that it was dark. “Shit!” She said as she put the bears into her pack. Bolting out her hotel room door, she ran towards the dinosaur. Just as she got to the stairs, a man with a beret walked out. 

“Who are you?” She asked.

“I’m Manny. I’m on security detail here. I’m off-duty right now. You see a rifle barrel sticking out of the dinosaur’s mouth, you got a fifty-fifty shot it’s me. Otherwise it’s Boone.”

Boone. She wondered if he knew the fate that had befallen his relative. “Who’s Boone?” She asked, trying to make conversation to see if she could figure it out.

“Boone’s a sniper, same as me. Used to spot for him when we were enlisted with the NCR. After we got out, I talked him into settling down here. So, here we are. I’d introduce you, but uh… we’re not so friendly right now.”

“Why are you on bad terms with him?”

“Me and his wife, we didn’t see eye-to-eye on some things. We had some pretty big arguments. One day she turns up missing, and he hasn’t said a word to me since.”

“What did y’all argue about?”

“Man, you name it. See, I grew up in North Vegas. Me and my cousins. We were some bad seeds. Got in with a gang. I loved it. Then something happened, and I couldn’t handle it anymore. So, I enlisted. Earned my future. Brought down my best friend to share that future with me. And here this woman who was too good for it, trying to take him a way. So yeah. I didn’t see eye-to-eye with the bitch.”

“You were in a gang? Were they tough?” Now she was only talking to sate her own curiosity. 

“Were they tough? I was in the Khans, man. It doesn’t get any badder.”

The Khans had to do with the suit. “I’m looking for a man in a checkered coat.”

“Sure, I know him. What do you want with him?”

“I have a score to settle.” Jackpot. “He has something of mine.”

“You talking about that chip? Man, I don’t think he’s giving it up. Well listen, I can definitely help you find him, but I’ve got problems of my own. Maybe we can trade. You need my help. There’s something I need, too.”

Six hesitated, hoping it wasn’t sexual favors. “What do you need?”

“Novac, it’s home for me now. I want that to be for good, I like it here, and I’ve left too many homes behind. But the only resource we got here is junk. Without that, people wouldn’t have anything to trade. They’d all have to leave. We get most of it up the road from the old rocket test site. But a bunch of ghouls showed up one day and took it over. We can’t get in there now.”

“Okay… soooo… what is it you’re wanting from me, exactly?”

“Well they gotta go, or this’ll be a ghost town before long. Doesn’t matter to me what you do. As long as the ghouls are out of there, that’s good enough for me.”

She really didn’t want to do this guy’s dirty work for him, but it would be the only way she’d get information on the checkered-suit guy. “Okay, I’ll see what can be done about it.”

“It’d mean a lot to me. See you.” Once he walked off, Six went into the Dino Bite Gift Shop and up the stairs on the left. Was she going to come face to face with Boone? Should she tell him about his wife? She opened the door and touched his shoulder very gently causing him to spin around with an angered look on his face.

“Goddamn it! Don’t sneak up on me like that. What do you want?”

“Expecting visitors?”

His face went blank, his voice went deep and monotone, “Yeah. I guess maybe I am. But not like you.” Then he hesitated for a moment. “Huh. Maybe it should’ve been you I was expecting all along. Why are you here?” He said, folding his arms.

Trying to figure out a way to tell him, in case he didn’t know what happened to his wife, she tried to drop hints to see if he’d pick up on the. “If you’re looking for someone in particular, I could tip you off if I see them.”

“Yeah, well, you see anybody wearing Legion crimson or a lot of sports equipment, you just let me know. But you still haven’t answered my question.”

His comment about the sports equipment reminded her of the comment Packrat had made the day they went to Nipton. But, the Legion… “Just looking around.”

“There’s nothing up here.”

“There’s a sniper.” She tried not to smile, trying to mock his demeanor… apparently he picked up on it and didn’t find it amusing.

“I think you’d better leave.”

“Do you treat everyone around here like this?”

“Wait. You just got into town. Maybe you shouldn’t go. Not just yet.”

“And why is that?” Now she was really curious. Was he going to kill her or something?

“I need someone I can trust. You’re a stranger. That’s a start.”

“You only trust strangers?” Flashing Boone a half-smile.

“I said it was a start. This town… nobody looks me straight in the eye anymore.”

She pointed at his sunglasses, “It’s… ya know... probably ‘cause you wear those. At night. Just… just a thought.”

“Not the point.”

“Okaaaaay. What do you want me to do?”

“I want you to find something out for me. I don’t know if there’s anything to find, but I need someone to try. My wife was taken from our home by Legion slavers one night while I was on watch.” Six gripped her pocket tightly as Boone continued, “They knew when to come and what route to take, and they only took Carla. Someone set it up. I don’t know who.”

“So… you’re trying to track down your wife, then?”

“My wife’s dead. I want the son of a bitch who sold her.”

“How… do you know she’s dead?”

“I know, all right? And that’s all you need to know.”

“What do I do if I find this person?”

“Bring him out in front of the nest here while I’m on duty. I work nights.”

Six looked around at the night sky, “Obviously.”

Boone sighed in frustration. “I’ll give you my NCR beret to put on. It’ll be our signal, so I know you’re standing with him. And I’ll take care of the rest. I need to do this myself.”

“I’ll see what I can do to help you out.”

Boone handed her his NCR beret, “Good. I’ll make it worth your while. And one more thing. We shouldn’t speak again. Not until it’s over. No one in this town knows that I know what happened to my wife. Best they never know. Or the Legion will be after me next.”

Six nodded and left the Dino Bite Gift Shop, when she got outside, she took the beret and put it up to her face. It smelled of sweat and mesquite, which tickled her senses. She liked it. Looking around to make sure no one saw her smelling on Boone’s beret, she knew exactly the person she needed to put in front of that dinosaur.

Jeannie May was still in the front desk office, sweeping up. As soon as she saw Six standing there, she smiled and said that she hoped everything was going well. Six nodded and told her there was something she needed to see… in front of the dinosaur.

“Okay, if that’s what you think.” Jeannie May said. Leading her over to the rock, Six looked up to see the the moon reflect off of Boone’s sunglasses… she knew he was looking down at her. She took his beret out of her pack and put it on. Before Jeannie May could even ask anything, Boone put a bullet in the back of her head. Six rushed back up to the sniper’s nest where Boone was waiting.

“That’s it, then. How did you know?” He asked.

“I found the bill of sale…”

Boone reached up and pulled his beret off of Six’s head and put it back on, “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. It’d be like Jeannie May to keep paperwork.” Boone pulled a bunch of caps out of his pants pocket, handing them to her, “Here. This is all I can give. I think our dealings are done here.”

She looked down at his hand full of caps and back up to the eyes hiding behind those ridiculous sunglasses. “What will you do after this?”

He lowered his hand in frustration, as if a signal to her that he was tired of holding his hand out. “I don’t know. I won’t be staying, I know that. Don’t see much point in anything right now, except hunting legionaries. Maybe I’ll wander… like you.”

Hunting legionaries and wandering - sounded like her kind of thing. “Come with me. Let’s go after the Legion.” 

Boone shook his head. “You don’t want to do that.”

Six cracked another half-grin, with a mischievous twist. “We’ll kill more with two of us.” She said it in a sing-song type of way, as if it were going to be fun for her. Which it would.

“Yeah. That might be true. And that’s reason enough for me to take you up on it, I suppose. But this isn’t gonna end well. But fine. Let’s get out of here.”

She told Boone she wanted to wait until morning to do anything because it was probably going to be difficult as hell for him to navigate with those damn sunglasses he wouldn’t stop wearing. Through the night, neither of them slept. They talked, mostly. Well, Six did. Boone didn’t say much at all. She did, find out, through a course of nagging, that his first name is Craig. Took her two hours to get that much out of him. 

“You ever take that beret off?” She asked as she watched him lay over on the couch.

He stared at the ceiling and said, “No.”

Six must’ve dozed off because before she knew it, Boone was shaking her foot, “Wake up. You fell asleep.”

“Can’t imagine why after the rousing conversation we had.” 

Obviously, he wasn’t impressed with her sarcasm. “Time to get up and move out.”

She looked at him and groaned, “I take it you didn’t wake me for breakfast in bed…” All Boone did was stare at her through those sunglasses, which she knew was going to become the bane of her existence. She hated not being able to see his eyes because then she couldn’t read him. She could tell, however, that Boone was becoming increasingly impatient. Six sat up in bed and asked Boone where exactly it was Manny needed her to go. He briefly, and vaguely, told her it was the old REPCONN Test Site. All he knew was that it was full of feral ghouls and ‘non-feral’ ghouls. He didn’t know exactly what Manny wanted, but Boone wanted to clear them all out… just for good measure. She didn’t much care what they did, as long as she could get answers from Manny. 

When they walked out of the hotel and walked past the front office, Six spotted a familiar face… er, sort of. “Victor?”

“Well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit, if it ain’t my old friend from Goodsprings!”

“What are you doing in Novac?”

“Don’t rightly know - I just got a notion to make my way to New Vegas. Reckon I’ll find out when I get there.”

“Well, it’s nice to see a friendly face out here.” She smiled at the silly cowboy-faced robot.

“Likewise, friend - likewise. Is there anything old Vic can do for you?”

“Naw, I’m good, Vic. Thanks, though. I gotta be headin’ out. Things to do and all.”

“Be seeing you.” 

Six felt like it was a bit strange to see Victor anywhere other than Goodsprings, but she didn’t question it much… although Boone did. Of course, he was the paranoid sort, and wanted to know what the robot’s angle was. She tried to assure him that the ‘robot’ didn’t have an angle… of course, he didn’t listen. They didn’t say anything else on their way to REPCONN. When they got there, they mowed through all of the feral ghouls that were bumbling around outside. Boone opened the door and they both walked in. To Six’s surprise, there was a blue Super Mutant laying dead on the floor. “Huh.” She said, “Never seen a blue Super Mutant before… only a yellowish-green color.”

“It’s a different kind of Super Mutant - Nightkin. They use Stealth Boys.”

“Hey! Over here! Are you listening?” A raspy voice spoke from a nearby intercom. “Go to the big room on the east side of the building and take the metal staircase all the way up. And hurry.”

Six went over and pressed the button, much to Boone’s disapproval. “Who are you?” She asked.

“Who I am doesn’t matter, smoothskin. Stop wasting time and get up here.” The intercom said back.

Six turned around to see Boone staring at her… or, well, it seemed like he was. She stared back at him. “What?” He asked.

“What, what?” She asked back.

“Why are you staring?”

“Why are you?”

“Because I know you’re about to tell me we should listen to that intercom and I don’t think it’s such a good idea.”

“Boone, what’s the worst that could happen?”

“We could die.”

Six beamed a smile at him and threw her rifle over her shoulder, “Doesn’t sound so bad to me.” And she took off towards the eastern side of the building. Boone sighed in frustration, but followed anyway. The ghouls along the way were no match against them. Walking into a room with stairs that led up, Boone just looked at her and shook his head. Six ignored his disapproval… again… and at the top of those stairs, she found a dead ghoul wearing some kind of odd clothings. She went into the area just ahead to find a door with an intercom next to it. With more disapproval from Boone, she pressed the button on the intercom. “Hello?” She said.

“All right, Smoothskin, I’m letting you in.” The voice came back. “You better watch yourself. I’ll sure as hell be watching you.”

Six rolled her eyes when Boone let out another irritated sigh behind her. She could tell Boone was going to be a real party-pooper with his disapproval of… everything. Did he just want to wander the Mojave and wait for random encounters with the Legion? Because if that were the case, he was traveling with the wrong girl. That’s not how she operated. Instead of saying anything to him, she grunted in his general direction. The door opened in front of her, and the raspy voice from the intercom stood there and spoke, “God, but are you ugly! Get upstairs and talk to Jason before I throw up just from looking at you.” She could’ve swore she heard a very quiet snicker come from behind her. “Hey, you’re not a ghoul!” She said as this normal-looking man stepped out of the shadows.

“Your pranks won’t work on me, smoothskin. They won’t work on Jason, either.”

“Smoothskin? Your skin looks pretty smooth to me.”

“Stop wasting my time, smoothskin. Go waste Jason’s.”

His stupidity was flooring - she was speechless. Could he not see his own two, smooth hands? So many questions unanswered about him. While they were wandering around, trying to determine would Ghoul was Jason, Six looked back at Boone, “Can you believe he found me repulsive? What an asshole.” Boone just looked at her. She rolled her eyes and went searching again. In no time, she saw a glowing Ghoul, “Fuck it. I’m talkin’ to that guy.” She told Boone. Before she even got to the man he began talking.

“Hello, wanderer. Please forgive us of our humble surroundings. Our true home awaits us in the Far Beyond. Have you come to help us complete the Great Journey?”

“Uh, what’s this ‘Far Beyond’ you’re talking about?”

“I have glimpsed it only in visions, wanderer, but what I have seen is truly miraculous. It is a place of light and healing, and I know in my soul that my flock will be safe there. We wish to escape the barbarity of the wasteland, especially the violence and bigotry of its human inhabitants.” When he said that, Six recalled Boone saying he wanted to clear the whole place, and she cut her eyes at him and grinned. 

She stopped listening to the glowing guy’s mumbo-jumbo and interrupted. “So, who are you…?”

“Oh... I am Jason Bright, the prophet of the Great Journey. All the ghouls you see here are members of my flock.”

Six let out a slight giggle, “Your last name is “Bright”? That’s funny.” Boone let out a sigh of… probably disapproval. Could’ve been impatience. Or both. She figured it was both.

“An auspicious name, don’t you think?” Jason said. “It was mine before I became as I am now. Before the Great War, even. Truly does the creator author a destiny for each and every one of us. But, if you are here to help, I’ve got a task for you. The creator has promised to my flock a new land: a place of safety and healing… a paradise in the Far Beyond. Preparations for the Great Journey were nearly complete when the demons appeared.”

“Demons? What demons?”

“The demons appeared from nowhere… except it might be more accurate to say they never actually ‘appeared’ at all. The demons are invisible. Where one of them stands, the most one sees is the air shimmering, like sunlight on water. They set upon us as we were on our way to worship one morning. We had just entered the basement. My flock fought bravely, and killed a few, but at such cost. Nearly half of us died or went missing. The rest of us retreated up here. One of the demons raved at us, but they have no tried to attack us since. Still, their demonic presence brought all progress towards the Great Journey to a standstill. But now you have come. Once again, the creator has sent a human to help us across a seemingly insurmountable obstacle.”

“You say one of the demons ‘raved’ at you?”

“Yes, over the intercom. Threats of death should we step outside, guarantees of safety should we stay locked away. It went on for hours, and did not always make sense. But that was the first day only. Since then, silence. Will you drive away the demons, wanderer?”

“Yeah, I’ll see what I can do. But before I go, I want to know what’s up with the human that let me in?”

“You’re referring to Chris. I doubt you had much luck if you tried telling him that he’s human. We had the same discussions when he first appeared, and the same lack of success. He believes he is one of us. Soon enough we realized that Chris was a gif from the creator. He is integral to the success of the Great Journey.”

“Oh… okay. Uh, I’m gonna... go see if I can take care of these ‘demons’ for you.”

“Praise the creator. Bless you, wanderer! Bless us all!” Jason handed Six the keys to the REPCONN basement. While heading towards the basement, Boone told her that these demons they described sounded very much like Nightkin, especially since they had seen the dead one at the door. Boone didn’t want to mess with the Nightkin, said it would just be easier to take out the ghouls and be done with it. But, Six being curious, wanted to investigate. The instant they walked into the basement, Boone actually said something, “Dark in here. If you want to use a scope, I can spot for you. Keep you on target.” 

“Okay, but I want to sneak up on ‘em, catch ‘em off guard. They're big so…” Boone didn't like that idea. He didn't say it, but he did start breathing with disapproval. “How about you just... wait here.” She said to him. “I'll be back.”

“I’ll sit tight.”

Six crouched down and moved slowly through the next room to an open doorway. She could hear footsteps coming but didn’t see anything. Then, she saw that ‘shimmering’ Jason Bright referred to, but nothing about this ‘shimmered’. It was more akin to watching heat rise off of hot pavement or tin. Since she couldn’t see the Nightkin very well, she waited until the footsteps got quiet enough before sneaking out into the hallway. Heading left from the direction she came, she took an immediate right through a door. Unfortunately, this put her face to face with a Nightkin that wasn’t invisible. She noticed that they did look a bit differently than Super Mutants, but not much. Mostly they were blue instead of yellow-green. This Nightkin actually spoke though. Six wasn’t sure if she should be surprised or pissing herself.

“What’s that, Antler?” The Nightkin said, talking to a Brahmin skull, “We have a visitor? An assassin, more like! I say kill it, Antler. For safe’s sake!” He paused for a second, as if the Brahmin skull was saying something to him… “Huh? ...Okay, Antler. I’ll ask. Hi, human. Why you come here?”

“I came here on behalf of the ghouls upstairs.” She said, though hesitantly. Maybe if he attacked, she could scream and Boone would come to her rescue with a disapproving sigh.

“A human who is friend to ghouls? Suspicious. You mean the ones upstairs. Antler used intercom, told them stay put. But they want to come down in basement anyways? I cannot allow. My kin are… not right in head like I am. They attack you on sight. Ghouls too. They crazy. Your ghoul friends have to wait until you find what Antler brought us to get.”

Six knew she was going to regret her next question: “Who is Antler?”

“Who is Antler? WHO IS ANTLER? Antler, the human asks about you! What do I tell it?” He paused as if the skull was responding. “All right. All right… yes, yes, of course. Who Antler is, not important to you. Antler wants that you deal with me.”

Her next question was just as regrettable… at this point she wasn’t sure why she was even asking. “Is ‘Antler’ the Brahmin skull over there?”

“Cut it out, human. Serious. Final warning.”

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry. Maybe I can help y’all find whatever it is y’all are here for.”

“Good. Antler brought us here for a reason… why was that, Antler? Right! A piece of paper. Shipment invoice. Hundreds of Stealth Boys, sent here a long time ago… But Stealth Boys must be in the one room we don’t search yet - the one we can’t search.”

“Um, why… can’t you?”

“A ghoul. But not squishy like others. This ghoul is tough. I thought Antler said send my kin into that room, but three died. Ghoul is a crack shot and set traps too. After, I realize I heard Antler wrong. So I lock door to keep kin out and wait for Antler to tell me what to do. Then you come along. Antler says you are solution.”

“Okay, well, I’ll find the Stealth Boys stockpile for you IF your kin will leave this place.”

The Nightkin thought for a moment. He nodded his head to the Brahmin skull, “Yes, Antler says we leave here as soon as we get Stealth Boys. Let me give you key. Antler had me lock the door. The ghoul inside not expecting a human. Maybe he don’t shoot you. Maybe he will.” He placed the key into Six’s outstretched hand. 

She walked out of the room and noticed a door close by that had a dead Nightkin on the floor next to it. She guessed that’s where this ghoul was… because nobody ever actually seems to give her any details. As soon as she opened it, she noticed the traps on the ground as a raspy voice came from above, “Come and get it, you big dumb-- Hey! You’re not one of those things out there. Who the hell are you?”

“I’m here on behalf of the Nightkin that want the Stealth Boys shipment information. There’s multiple of them… but only one of you. So, it looks like I have to kill you. Nothing personal.” She said. 

He pulled his rifle out and took aim, “Then you’re dumber than you look, smoothskin. Eat this!” And he opened fire. Before he could get more than a couple of rounds off, Six aimed Lil’ Devil and pulled the trigger, putting two in his chest and one in his head. He fell to the floor like a rag doll. Carefully, Six made her way through the traps this ghoul had set. She didn’t really understand how one could miss them though. Maybe it’s because the Nightkin were so tall… or because they were stupid. Locating the terminal, she looked through it’s files and noticed that there had been a shipment mistake, so the Stealth Boys had been returned. She was pretty dubious about telling the Nightkin. She thought about just trying to kill them, but because they were invisible, there were unknown numbers of them. She decided she’d try her luck with just telling the leader.

She went back to the room he was in where he stood, waiting for her. “Antler sings for Stealth Boys. Have you found them?” He asked.

She took a deep breath, “There is no stockpile of Stealth Boys in this entire building.”

“Liar!” He yelled. His voice echoed through the hallways. “The invoice said Stealth Boys here! Antler read it out loud to me!”

“They were sent here by mistake, then sent back.” 

“But invoice note said Stealth Boys were here! Why can’t note be true?” He hesitated for a moment as if ‘Antler’ were speaking. “What, Antler? ...But human could be lying! Stealing Stealth Boys for itself! Oh, Antler… you trust so easy… Your lucky day, human. Antler believe you. Nightkin will follow the new note to find Stealth Boys. Better be there.” 

Six watched as the Nightkin leader picked up ‘Antler’ and exited out into the hallway. Waiting to follow the last Nightkin out, she counted 5 as far as she could tell by the ‘shimmers’. In single file, she watched them walk past Boone, who was still waiting close to the basement door. He ripped those ridiculous sunglasses off, to make sure he was actually seeing what he was seeing. The expression on his face was so much more than blank. It was shock. Between the two of them, Six may have been more surprised when she saw him pull the sunglasses off than he was to see the Nightkin marching out of the basement in a single-file line. She made sure to remember that facial expression, so if she saw it again she’d know he wasn’t just going into seizures or having a heart attack. At least now, she knew he was capable of emotions other than impatience, agitation, and disapproval. Boone watched as several Nightkin walked past him, most he could only feel or hear, and then he looked down the stairs to see Six standing there, grinning smugly. She walked up to him and slapped him on the shoulder, still grinning, “C’mon, let’s move out.”

Boone grabbed her by the arm as she tried to walk away from him. “Wait a minute. I want to know how the hell you did that.” His tone was agitated, but surprised. It sounded as if he were pissed that he didn’t manage something like that. 

“I had to negotiate with them, that’s all.”

“No. That’s not all. I heard gunshots.”

“Annnd… you didn’t come to check on me?”

Boone let out a low growl because she was avoiding his question. “I did. You didn’t see me. I’m a sniper, remember? I keep out of sight best I can. You didn’t answer my question.”

Six sighed as she felt his grip around her arm tighten a little bit, but not enough to hurt her. “Okay. So, I had to find some information for them about a shipment of Stealth Boys. They apparently couldn’t do it themselves because one of the ghouls from upstairs had locked himself in the room with the terminal that had the information. I went in, I shot him, he died, I got the information.”

Boone looked at her with a blank stare. “You shot… a ghoul?”

“Look, there was one ghoul… how many Nightkin do you think just moseyed on outta here? Think you and I would’ve been outnumbered if I’d have taken them on instead. So how ‘bout we just head back upstairs and tell Jason they’ve cleared outta here, hm? Let’s go.”

“Alright. I got your back.”

She was happy when Boone didn’t question her actions any further. She wasn’t happy about it, but she didn’t want to be outnumbered either. She wasn’t opposed to the idea of death, but she at least wanted to go down with one hell of a fight. Not another word was said between the two of them while they ascended back to Jason. Six opened the door of the REPCONN Research Lab and was, again, greeted by Chris, “Go bother Jason, smoothskin. I don’t like having you around. Stay away from me.”

“I wasn’t even trying to talk to you, asshole.” She walked off before Chris had the opportunity to reply. It wasn’t hard for her to find Jason now that she know to look for the bright glowing one. “Hey, Jason. The ‘demons’ have left the basement. Y’all are safe, now.”

“So, the way is clear?” He said.

“Yep. They’re gone.”

“Praise the creator! And bless you, wanderer! The way is clear. I will lead my flock through the basement to the sacred site! I hope you will come find us there, wanderer! There is much to be done.”

Six held her hand up at Boone, “Before you scoff, we’re going. So don’t bother. If we can get them the hell outta here, I can get answers from Manny.” She didn’t look at him, she didn’t hear a peep from him. They both followed the ghouls down into the basement of the REPCONN test site. Much to Six’s surprise there was a door in the floor of the room that was right behind where the Nightkin leader had been. They went down those stairs and through winding tunnels until they came to a room. Standing in the middle of it, was Jason, motioning for her. “I waited to speak with you one last time before I descended to the launch pad, wanderer. I want you to know that we will remember for all eternity how you delivered us to the threshold of the Great Journey. Our preparations are nearly complete, but the rockets that will carry us to salvation are yet missing vital components. If you would still helps us, wanderer, speak to Chris. He can tell you what is missing. There is no way that we can thank you enough, wanderer. Your arrival here was a blessing. We will remember you always.”

She looked passed Jason to the pad below, seeing the three rockets that looked like they weren’t in the best condition. “Are you seriously going to make your ‘Great Journey’ on those rockets?” 

“Yes.” He said. “The rockets will convey us to our promised land in the Far Beyond. Vision upon vision has confirmed it.”

She facepalmed, then flailed her hands about, “Those rockets will convey you and your flock straight into the goddamn ground!”

Jason crossed his arms, “I understand your concerns, friend, and I thank you for voicing them. But the creator’s will for us has been made manifest.”

Scratching her head, she decided to change the subject. “Okay. Let’s talk about Chris.”

“After all that you have done for us, I suppose you deserve to know everything…” She folded her arms and waited for him to continue. “When Chris came to us, we tried to convince him that he was human. But this only angered him. He seemed… lost. We decided to let him stay with us a few days, over the course of which we learned that his technical skills far surpassed our own. It became clear that the creator had sent him to us, to ensure the success of the Great Journey. Equally clear was that Chris should labor in blessed ignorance of his humanity, and his inability to make the journey himself. It is no coincidence that two humans have been vital to the success of the Great Journey. It is my belief that the creator sent you and Chris to expiate the sins of your kind against mine. You are redeemers both.”

“So… you’re just going to leave Chris behind… after all that he’s done for y’all?”

“Such is the creator’s will. Vision upon vision has shown me that, were Chris to accompany us, he would die in minutes. The radiation around the launch pad alone would kill Chris in minutes. The radioactivity of the Far Beyond is much stronger.”

Six heard Boone scoff with disapproval from behind her, as she glared at Jason. “You’ve been using Chris. You’re fuckin’ despicable.”

“It is in the creator’s will, and I must submit. There is no malice in it. We would take him with us if we could.”

“Goodbye, Jason.”

Jason bowed to her slightly in gratitude, “There is no way that we can thank you enough, wanderer. Your arrival here was a blessing. We will remember you always.”

After Jason walked off, Six leaned over close to Boone and whispered, “I swear, this guy’s a bigger kook than those Children of Atom freaks.” She waited a moment for him to reply and then remembered who it was she was talking to. So, she walked off and found Chris to get the information she needed on the other components needed for those rockets. The two things weren’t exactly difficult to find. One was located at Gibson’s Scrapyard, the other was just sitting out in the open. She still couldn’t believe how they’d pulled the wool over Chris’ eyes. It didn’t matter if he refused to believe he wasn’t a ghoul, or how lost he seemed. They didn’t have to use him. They could’ve just befriended him and left it at that. 

She gave the components to Chris, who didn’t show much appreciation for her efforts. Six let that slide because she felt badly for him. What was he going to do once he found out that he wasn’t going to get to accompany Jason and his followers to the ‘Far Beyond’. Two ghouls showed up to take the components from Chris as he got on the intercom to speak with Jason below to tell him the ‘Great Journey’ could begin. Chris began to take his lab coat off while Jason gave some half-assed speech about appreciation and the TWO humans that helped them achieve their journey. Six just kept looking at Chris, waiting. At one point she leaned over and whispered to Boone, “5 caps says he’s ‘bout to lose his shit.” Boone just sighed in frustrated disapproval. Which was different from the usual agitated disapproval. The three of them watched as Jason and his followers loaded up into the rockets. Chris turned to Six, “Did you hear him? My god, you were right all along. I’m no ghoul! They were just using me…”

She felt so bad, and rubbed his arm, trying to console him. “They’d take you if they could, Chris, but you’d die.”

Chris’ face turned to anger, “And dying would be worse than this? Used up and thrown away like garbage?”

Unsure of what else to say, she just blurted something out. “They’re going to revere you as a Saint, Chris!”

“Oh, so I’ve redeemed the human race, is that it? What a crock! The human race can’t stand me!”

“That’s not true, Chris. You’re all right.”

“So you want me to accompany you on your adventures across the wasteland like this guy, is that it?” He said, motioning towards Boone.

She thought for a moment and then got a great idea, “There’s a little town called Novac just down the road from here.”

“Life among humans again, that’s what you’re suggesting? I guess… I guess it’s the only chance I’ve got. Maybe it’ll be different this time. I was never a Saint before. I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this, but I’ll give it a try. You go launch the rockets. I’m on my way to Novac.”

Six watched Chris head out as she and Boone went up to the viewing platform to help them complete the launch sequence. She couldn’t shake the irking feeling about how they used him. The two of them made it to where the navigation console was. She looked at is and noticed that she could either make a change to the trajectories set it to a more optimal route which would put Jason 12.5% closer to their destination. Then… she also noticed that she could set the rockets to just crash into each other upon launch. “No-brainer.” She said as she set the rockets to crash. Standing there, her and Boone watched the rockets take flight. One rocket promptly crashed into the ground while the other two hit each other, igniting a huge explosion right there in front of them. All Six could do was stand there and snicker to herself. She turned around to leave and saw Boone standing there, staring at her with disapproval. Stifling her laughter, she immediately shifted her gaze to the ground, cracking a wicked grin once she got past him.

So, Six had a bit of a mean streak. She didn’t give a shit. Being an asshole sometimes was better than being an asshole all the time. No way would Six ever apologize for her behavior… nobody ever apologized for making her that way. 

On the way back to Novac, she could hear commotion coming from across the bridge and decided to go investigate. Much to her surprise, as they got close to the NCR soldiers that were standing there, Boone grabbed her by the shoulder and spun her around. “We’re getting close to Nelson. Any closer, I’m shooting any legionary I see. Hope that’s not a problem.”

Six shook her head, “No, that’s not a problem. That’s a solution.”

She could’ve sworn she saw the beginning of a smile at the corner of Boone’s mouth when he spoke, “Damn right. You and I, we’re just a couple of problem solvers.” And they continued on towards the small town. Once they got close enough to Nelson, they were spotted by NCR. A man ran up to them, “Hold up there. This area is locked down by the NCR military until we can dislodge some Legion snakes from Nelson.” Six looked back at Boone, confused. This man made damn sure he let her know that this area was locked down by the NCR, as if he didn’t notice the NCR beret Boone had on top of his head. She asked the NCR soldier what the trouble was. “Hell, what ain’t the trouble with the Legion?” He said. “This time, they jumped the camp in Nelson while the troopers were setting up. Captured a bunch of gear and took the town. Couple of troopers too. Got ‘em crucified down near the center of town.”

“Anything we can do to help?”

“Maybe” He rubbed his chin, “I’d like to know who I’m dealing with, first.”

“The name’s Six.”

“My apologies, but that name and face ain’t ringing the old school bell upstairs. Afraid I can’t let you through until the ‘situation’ is resolved.”

Six pulled out that famous charm of hers, “You may not know me, but I’m no friend of the Legion, and I’ll lend a hand to get rid of ‘em.”

“Fair enough. It’s not like any of the troopers around here are jumping up to volunteer. If you had a few dozen doses of Psycho on you, maybe we could pep these weepy troopers into charging down into Nelson and taking back the camp. But since that’s not likely, you could help me take out the Legion’s trooper hostages.”

She heard Boone grunt with disapproval. “Um… why take out the hostages?”

“The troopers won’t go down into the camp with their comrades at risk. Dirty game the Legion likes to roll out whenever they get a chance. Problem is, Ranger Milo doesn’t want to play. If we take out the hostages, they’ve got squat for leverage.”

“Why don’t you just try to rescue them?”

“Back at ‘Ranger School’, they taught us not to run headlong into a battle when you’re outnumbered ten to one. You want to go down there and try to haul those crippled boys off those poles, you’re dumber than you look.”

“Fine. Let’s go.” There was no way she was about to kill those soldiers, she was going to save them no matter if it cost her her own life. As they crept down the road towards Nelson, she heard Boone speak from behind her, “To hell with mercy killing. We’re getting those guys out of there.” All Six did was nod. It was all she had to do. As soon as they started seeing that crimson red, bullets flew. After she and Boone cleared the entire town, ensuring not a single legionary was left, they looked towards the center where the 3 soldiers were being crucified. Six started getting flashbacks of what she saw in Nipton before Packrat’s demise. To keep herself focused, she just kept chanting quietly to herself “Rage, rage, against the dying of the light.” Over and over she chanted. She feared if she didn’t stay focused, she would literally lose her mind and go crazy. She couldn’t afford for that to happen, not while she was on the heels of the checkered-coat and the plans she had for Caesar. She untied every one of those soldiers, as they dropped, she and Boone caught them to ensure they made it down onto the ground safely. Once they got their bearings and were able to walk, they headed back towards the others. As she turned around to go speak to Ranger Milo, she saw Boone standing there as if he were about to say something. So she waited a moment. “Mercy killing is a last resort.” He said to her. “Glad you recognized we had options.”

She nodded at him, “I was going to get them outta there, or die trying. Mercy killing is expected of NCR snipers. The Legion likes to torture their prisoners within sight of NCR positions. We get called on to end it. I’ve had my share. Some of them, you think, maybe you could’ve gotten them out. Maybe it’s not the Legion that got them killed. Maybe it’s your orders and you following them.”

Boone just nodded as they made their way back to Ranger Milo to let him know everyone, including the NCR hostages, made it out alive. The surprised tone in Milo’s voice indicated he was surprised. He even went as far as to call Six and Boone heroes. They didn’t get any caps for the job, but that’s not why Six did it. The next Legionnaire they came across, she knew what she was going to do. But, until then, they needed to get back to Novac so she could have a sit-down with Manny.


	15. Cobwebs & Rainbows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This contains the entire Dead Money DLC - so it's really long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Laptop has been an asshole, so there's likely to be more errors than usual. Sorry!

Upon Six and Boone’s arrival in Novac, they were pleasantly greeted by Chris, who’d ended up with a hotel room there. Unfortunately for Boone, it was his. With Jeannie May out of the picture, there’s no one around to appoint rooms to travelers or newcomers. Boone unhappily took all of his possessions out of that hotel room and had to confront Six. With a sigh, he approached her, “Hey, Six…”

“Yeeeees, Boone?” She was grinning from ear to ear because she knew he was struggling to ask her for a favor.

“Can I put my things in your room?”

“Why, Boone, are you asking to move in together? This is all so sudden!” She said with a laugh and a wink.

Boone grunted, “I guess.”

After much protest from Boone, Six helped him carry his things up to her hotel room. She didn’t have very much in there of her own, so it was easy for them to find places to put things. “Guns go in the dresser, ammunition in the suitcase next to the door, junk components in the footlocker at the end of the bed, clothes in the wardrobes, stims and chems in the first aid kit, food in the fridge, vendor trash in the trashcan.” She told him. He complied and put everything where she wanted. She told him it would be easier to find things than if they just threw stuff around. She had a system. “I’m gonna go talk to Manny while you do that. I know y’all aren’t exactly on friendly terms.”

“Okay.” He said back, without argument.

It was getting dark so she wasn’t terribly sure where to find him, but she checked the dino first. As luck would have it, she caught him before he ended his shift. “Hey, Manny…” She called to him.

“Hey, you have any luck with the ghouls?”

“Yeah, they’re no longer at REPCONN.”

He let out a laugh. “Really? Unbelievable, man! I knew that wasn’t gonna be easy. But I had a good feeling about you. You look like you’ve been through a lot.”

“Uh… thanks? I think. Now, about the man I’m lookin’ for…”

“Okay, I’ll tell you everything I know, like I promised. The guy you’re looking for, Benny, he was traveling with some members from my old gang. They were going to Boulder City.”

“Any idea why they went that way?”

“No clue. I know Benny hadn’t paid up yet. Maybe that was where they were supposed to get square.”

“Okay… where’s Boulder City?”

“It’s straight up Route 93 from here. Just keep following the road north.”

“Thanks. That’s all I needed to know.”

“Hope that helps. I owed you.”

“Yeah… you did.” She said as she walked off back to the hotel room. Boone was sitting on the couch when she walked in, Six couldn’t tell if he was awake or asleep. She laid down on the bed with a flop and just stared at the ceiling. She had no idea why she was so committed to finding Benny. Maybe it was because he took something she’d been responsible to deliver. Maybe it was because he shot her in the head. Maybe it was both. It was shocking that after a month, he hadn’t just moved on to another location… or maybe he had and she was further behind him than she thought. Suddenly, Boone woke up with a jump as if he’d had a nightmare. You okay?” Six asked him without looking over at him. 

“Yeah.”

“Bad dream?”

“Yeah.”

She rolled over onto her side, facing him, trying to see his eyes through those damn sunglasses. “Boone… what is it you aren’t telling me about what happened to your wife?” Six had a sneaky suspicion that there was more to the story than what he’d let on. She instantly knew that question struck a nerve because she could see his eyebrows furrow.

“You got no right asking me that. Drop it.” 

“I just wanna understand you better. But, you’re right. I was out of line. I’m sorry.”

“It’s just something I’m not ready to discuss. With you or anybody. The Legion’s the only thing I want on my mind right now.”

“Again, I’m sorry.” She rolled over, putting her back to him, she heard that sigh again. Only thing time, it wasn’t of disapproval.

“It’s fine. It’s just… hard.”

“We’re heading for Boulder City tomorrow. That okay?” That was her feeble attempt at avoiding conflict.

“Yeah.” Boone sighed again. He wanted to tell her, he just didn’t think he could bring himself to. He wondered if maybe Six had a bad experience with the Legion too… and the Suit she was after. The curiosity was almost enough to ask about it, but he didn’t. Instead he looked over, watching her lay there. Once he heard a faint snore coming from her, he took his sunglasses off, laid down on the couch, and went to sleep. It seemed like within seconds of dozing off, his nightmare began again. It’s always the same two nightmares, every night. Every time he’d hear a shot ring out, his body would jerk and he’d wake up. This time though, it was different. He woke up hearing himself talking, cursing the Legion. He looked over to see Six looking back at him. “What?” He said as if nothing had happened.

“Firstly, you took your sunglasses off. Thought those things were glued to your face. Secondly, I didn’t actually think you slept. Thirdly, what were you dreaming about?”

“One, so? Two, no. Three, nothing.”

“Boone…”

“Drop it, Six.”

“No, I’m not going to drop it. Look, if we’re going to be traveling together, I need to know who it is behind me holding the gun. I gotta know you’re not gonna put one in my back.”

“If I was gonna do that --”

“Yeah, save your ‘I’d have done it already’ bullshit because I’m not impressed. If you’re gonna have my back, we’re gonna be friends. If you don’t plan to be friends, then you can walk out that door and I’ll continue on my own. Because let me tell you something, whether you’re with me or not… I’m gonna find Benny and put a bullet in every Legionnaire I see along the way.”

“I’ll tell you on one condition: you tell me why Benny’s so important and why you hate the Legion as much as I do.”

“It’s a long story. I’d have to start in the beginning when I was just a child.”

Boone looked at her awkwardly, “How old are you?”

“17.”

“You’re still just a child.”

“Okay, fine… it starts when I was a little kid.”

“I’ve got time.” 

She nodded and went on to tell Boone about the death of her parents, Little Lamplight, and Packrat. Her twin brother that was also her best friend, leader, teacher, and one of the only people she felt she could rely on no matter what. She kept her emotions under control until she spoke of Nipton and watching her brother take his last breath in her arms. Tears soaked her cheeks and she noticed Boone looking both sympathetic and genuinely concerned. Six told him how, on the same day she buried her brother in Goodsprings, she got shot in the head by Benny. She felt like she’d been talking for days, when in reality, it was no more than a few hours. Boone had moved over to the bed and sat next to her with his hand on her back, rubbing on her, trying to console her. He knew what pain was like, he hated that someone so young had to experience something so similar. When she was done telling her story, he kept his word and told her his. He spoke of his wife and how amazing she was, but his face contorted to sadness and anger as he told Six about having to shoot his own wife. The Legion had her, and he felt like he didn’t have a choice other than to make the shot. He felt it was inevitable, that life was punishing him for something, although he wouldn’t say what. Six didn’t pry, she was happy he was telling her as much as he was. It made her feel closer to him, safer with him. She had a feeling that no matter where she went, Boone wouldn't be far behind. Which was perfect. She may not have anyone to lead her, but she most definitely wasn't alone. 

After they were finished exchanging stories and attempting to comfort one another, Six recalled that when she first showed up in Novac, a man had helped her into the office. She asked Boone if he might know who that could be. He said that it sounded like Old Man McBride. She wanted to, at the very least, thank the gentleman for picking her up out of the dirt. Strangely enough, Boone offered to show her where Mr. McBride lived, to which she definitely wanted to go. The house was on the way out of town going towards the REPCONN Test Site. Six went up and knocked on the door being greeted by an older woman. “What brings you here tonight?” 

“I just wanted to meet you.” Six said.

“Oh! Well I’m Alice McBride and that handsome stranger yonder is my husband Dusty. Going on fifty years, now. I keep waiting for him to leave me for some young thing with platinum blonde hair and hoop earrings, but he still sticks around. Says it’s my cooking. I think it’s because I know which Brahmin udder you can milk without getting kicked in the noggin.”

“Ha!” Six laughed, highly amused. “I s’pose that’s as good of a reason as any! It’s nice to meet you Mrs. McBride.”

“Guess I better be careful since you’re the first young platinum blonde we’ve seen in ages!” Alice smiled and winked at her.

“Actually, it is your husband I came to see. But, obviously not for that reason…” She chuckled. “I think he’s the man that picked me up off of the ground a little while back when I collapsed out by the dinosaur.”

“Yep. That was me. Glad to see you’re doin’ better. Things treatin’ you all right?” Dusty said, giving her a light pat on the shoulder.

“Yes, sir. I wanted to thank for you picking me up outta the dirt that day. I was severely dehydrated. If it weren’t for you, I might still be layin’ there.”

“Nah, ol’ Boone here woulda scooped ya up soon as he saw ya. Wouldn’t ya, Boone?” The old man smiled.

“Yeah.” Boone replied in his usual monotone. Six snickered quietly to herself. She knew better. He’d just have left her there to rot, most likely.

“Well, Mr. McBride, I’d like to somehow repay you for your kindness. I’ll do some work around here if need be. Doesn’t matter what it is.” She told him.

“Well, now that you mention it… I have been losing livestock. Well, losing doesn’t really describe it, to be honest. It’s a massacre. Few more days and there won’t be nothing left to lose.”

Six nodded, “Okay, I can look into that, no problem. Tell me what you know about the attacks.”

“Every night around midnight Alice and I’ll wake up to some crazy hollerin’ and gunshots. You’d think the world was ending all over again. But it’s just one animal each night. They don’t take it or carve it up or nothin’. Just leave it there, all full of holes.”

“I’ll see if I can catch whoever’s responsible.”

“We’d sure be grateful. Especially if you find ‘em before they get my whole stock. But don’t go getting yourself killed over it.”

Six and Boone went back outside to try and figure out roughly what time it was. “By the position of the moon, it’s probably about 10pm, I would say.” Boone agreed that it looked that way. They sat around close to the McBride place and just waited. Not a word said between them. The only sound was the wind blowing leaves and tumbleweed and the occasional Brahmin. Suddenly, Six caught something out of the corner of her eye but she didn’t see what it was. She waited a few moments but then it occurred to her… the McBride place was on the way to REPCONN… that place was full of ghouls… and Nightkin. Six started looking around for that tell-tale ‘shimmering’ as Jason had referred to it. Sure enough, behind a large rock - there he was. Without saying a word, and holding her breath, she aimed her Medicine Stick and fired. Boone jumped at the sound of her rifle going off behind him. He turned around, raising his own to see her lowering the barrel. 

“What did you see?” He asked.

“It’s not what I saw. It’s what I killed. Nightkin. Barely saw it skulking around that rock over there. 500 caps says that was McBride’s culprit.”

“Good job.” 

“Why Mista Boone, I do declare, did you just give lil’ ol’ me a compliment? You ain’t gettin’ soft on me, now are ya handsome?” She said fluttering her eyelashes while heavily exaggerating her southern accent with a somewhat sultry tone. He only grunted back at her in moderate disapproval. She grinned real big at him as she walked past him, knocking on the door. She let Mr. McBride know that his corral wouldn’t be getting attacked any longer, that she had taken care of his problem. He thanked her and let her know if she and her companion ever needed a hot meal, to stop in anytime. Six informed Mr. McBride that she didn’t need his thanks, it was her repayment for his help days ago. If it weren’t for him, there’s a chance she might not have made it.

“We should get back to the room. Get some sleep before we have to head out.” That was her plan all along, Boone just beat her to making the suggestion. 

Heading back towards the hotel, he surprisingly attempted to make conversation. “So… what are your plans after you find Benny?”

“Kill Caesar.”

“After that?”

“Roam the Mojave. Kill the rest of the Legion out?”

“Sounds like a plan. Was thinking more long-term though. Eventually there won’t be any Legionnaires left.”

“Long-term? No idea” She said as she opened their hotel room door. She sat her gun down on the footlocker at the end of the bed, then flopped down onto the couch. “What about you?”

Boone looked at her and sat down on the couch next to her, “Seems like you need someone to watch your back. You’re kind young to be wandering the Mojave alone. Feel like… you’re kind my responsibility. I go where you go.” He watched her slump down onto the couch at the same time he did, getting comfortable.

Six shrugged at him and leaned her body against his and put her head onto his shoulder. “I don’t mind that, but you gotta understand something… since my brother passed… I give absolutely no fucks about my own well-being.”

“I’ve noticed your ‘shoot first, ask questions never’ reckless attitude. I think I can handle it. Just don’t expect me to like it.”

“Pft, come on, you don’t actually LIKE anything…”

“I like you well enough to stick around.” He leaned his head over onto hers and leaned back against her. “Promise me something.” 

“What?” She yawned.

“If we ever get lost from each other, you’ll come back here, to this hotel room. So I can find you.”

“Alright, I promise.” She said, smiling sleepily.

“Thanks. I just feel like… you get it. Don’t wanna lose that.”

“Get what?”

“You get where I’m coming from. You get the pain, the hurt. Wish you didn’t, but glad you do.” Her yawn was contagious, and he yawned as well. They were unable to continue the conversation because Six fell asleep right there, leaning against Boone. Instead of waking her, he gently picked her up and laid down on the queen sized bed in their hotel room. Then he taking off his sunglasses and NCR beret, he laid down next to her . When she rolled over and faced away from him, he put his arm over her and pulled her close. He didn’t think he would ever be comfortable getting romantically involved with anyone. But he was going to protect Six at all costs, even that of his own life. As long as he held her, he’d know she’d be safe. Secretly, he hoped that he could ease her pain about her brother with his friendship… and that she could ease his about Carla. Should Six decide to travel alone, even for a few days, he would accept it but he certainly wouldn’t be comfortable with it.

\-----

The next morning, Six woke up with her head on Boone’s chest and his arm around her. She tilted her head up to look at him to figure out whether or not he was awake. He was. Utterly shocked that he wasn’t wearing his sunglasses or beret… but he didn’t bother to move her. “Hey.” He said, slightly smiling at her.

“Craig Boone, is that a smile? Or… or do you have gas or something?”

He let out a slight chuckle, “You’re cute when you sleep.”

She sat up immediately, looking at him somewhat concerned. “Boone… you’re freakin’ me out. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. Just enjoying good company.” He pulled her back down on him where she was. He leaned his head over to place his chin on her forehead. Six really didn’t know what to think, so she just went with it. She figured maybe he was dying… or she was dying. _Someone_ HAD to be dying.

“Not… that I mind… but why are we laying here like this?” She finally asked.

“If we’re not traveling, this is going to be the norm whenever we go to bed. Since I feel responsible for you, as long as I’m holding you, I know you’re okay.”

“Unless… unless I die in my sleep.” She said, causing him to scoff in severe disapproval. “There’s the Boone I’ve grown to know and slightly tolerate!”

“Ugh. You know what…” He grabbed her with both hands and started relentlessly tickling her, causing Six to screech, wriggle, and giggle. It was nice to hear laughter in his life again. Laughter that he was the cause of. After a few minutes, he stopped and rolled her back over to face him. “So, when do you want to head to Boulder City?”

“Whenever you’re ready, Mr. Tickles.” She said making a scrunchy face at him. 

“You talked to Manny, he told you how to get to Boulder City, right?”

“Yeah, Route 93 heading north.”

“All right, simple enough. Let’s get ready and head out.” Six nodded at Boone with a smile. She really was glad he decided to stick around. Oddly enough, he was being nice to her but she didn’t know why. She was afraid to ask because she didn’t want to jinx it. Once they triple-checked their packs to ensure they had everything and were good to go, they started out of Novac.  
*********  
“I want his head on a fucking stick while that little bitch watches. Then I want her bound and brought to me. Knock her unconscious if needed, but don’t lay a fucking finger on her otherwise. I find out that anyone of you touches her and I’ll crucify you myself.” Caesar said, enraged. Word had gotten back to him about what had occurred in Nipton and Nelson, which displeased him greatly. “LANIUS!”

“Yes, Caesar!”

“Go, find them. Do as I have commanded and do NOT let me down. Vulpes Inculta is dead so I am forced to send you in his stead.”

“Yes, Caesar, I will not disappoint.”

“You had better hope that you don’t, Legate.”  
*********  
Just West of Novac, that’s when the assassins from the Legion came. “Yeeeeeaaah!” Six yelled to Boone as they were mid-combat, “I been itchin’ to tangle with some of these assholes!” Somewhere close to Nelson and the, almost constant, onslaught of assassins in that area, they finally managed to get kill everyone in the area that Caesar had sent. However, they got turned around somewhere and found themselves in an area they were unable to identify. Boone scanned the horizon, trying to figure out where they were. “Ah.” He said. “I know exactly where we are. See that encampment up there? Believe that’s Camp Forlorn Hope. Last I heard, they needed some assistance. How about we go check it out since it’s on the way.”

“Okay, sounds good.” 

They tried to make their way up the cliffside but it was much too steep for them to climb up. Boone suggested that maybe they would be able to go around. Trying to find a way to the camp, Six tripped into a massive hole. He ran down and helped her back up onto her feet. “The hell is that?” She said, looking at the odd grate. “What the fuck…?” She tried to lift the grate off because she could see a ladder, but wasn’t able to do so on her own. “Boone, help me open this.”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea.” He said with a moderately disapproving tone.

“C’mon. Please? I just wanna see what’s inside and we can go on to Camp Forlorn Hope.”

He sighed and shook his head as he laid his hunting rifle down in the sand, helping her open the cover. They both peered down inside and could see a ladder that led downwards to a floor. Boone tried to stop Six when she descended the ladder but he was too late. Trying to coax her to come back up, he finally gave in and headed down the hole to where she was. The only sound was a radio echoing from the end of a hallway.

The radio broadcast was odd. A woman spoke: “Has your life taken a turn? Do troubles beset you? Has fortune left you behind? If so, the Sierra Madre Casino, in all its glory, is inviting you to begin again. Come to a place where wealth, excitement and intrigue await around every corner. Stroll along the winding streets of our beautiful resort, make new friends, or rekindle old flames. Let your eyes take in the luxurious expanse of the open desert under the clear star-lit skies. Gaze straight into the sunset from our villa rooftops. Countless diversions await: Gamble in our casino, take in the theater, or stay in one of our exclusive executive suites that will shelter you and cater to your every whim. So if life’s worries have weighed you down, if you need an escape from your troubles, or if you need an opportunity to begin again, join us, let go, and leave the world behind at the Sierra Madre grand opening this October… we’ll be waiting.” The message was set to repeat. 

“Huh. I’ve heard of that place. The Sierra Madre. It was believed to be nothing more than a legend. A fabled city of gold, some called it… where fortune could be found. Guess it’s not a legend, it’s just been lost.” Boone said, staring at the ever-repeating radio.

“Well, that radio is annoying and I’m gonna turn the damn thing off.” Six walked over to the radio, as she reached up to turn it off, she noticed that there was a strange fog leaking in. “Boone!” She called out to him and then passed out. 

Boone had also been affected by the gas, even though he wasn’t anywhere near the radio. When he gained consciousness, he looked all over, but Six was nowhere to be seen. “Goddamnit…” He said. There was no way she would still be in that underground area because it was two rooms, a hallway, and a locked room that was totally inaccessible because Boone didn’t know how to hack terminals. He crawled back up through the manhole and called out for her. He received no answer. He waited for several hours, right there at the entrance to the underground bunker, hoping she’d show up, but she didn’t. So, Boone did the only thing he knew - headed to Novac, to the hotel room, as he’d made her promise to do. He wanted her to be there, sitting on the bed, smiling because she played a cruel joke on him… he knew she wouldn’t be. And she wasn’t. He wasn’t going to chance leaving Novac. He was going to stay there, no matter how long it took for her to come back.

\-----

Six became partially conscious, she could hear a man talking, though he wasn’t next to her. It sounded, though, as if he were speaking to her - telling her a story: “You’ve heard of the Sierra Madre Casino. We all have, the legend, the curses. Some foolishness about it lying in the middle of the City of the Dead, buried beneath a blood red cloud. A bright, shining monument luring treasure hunters to their doom. The world’s most famous stars and entertainers were invited to its Grand Opening. An invitation was a sign of… exclusiveness. The opening was supposed to symbolize a road to a brighter future, not just for the world… but for all who came to its doors. A chance for anyone to begin again. Except - the Sierra Madre never opened. The war froze it in time, like a big flashbulb going off. The Grand Opening - one big ending of humanity. It’s still out there, in the Wastes, preserved, just waiting for someone to crack it open. But getting to it. That’s not the hard part. It’s letting go.” Once the voice stopped, she passed out again.

Six heard her pip-boy as she became coherent once more and she realized she was no longer underground. Her head pounded. She was in a strange place, next to a large fountain. As she stumbled to her feet, the hologram of a man’s head appeared over the fountain and spoke to her. “Are you listening? Good. From now on, when I talk, _listen_ \- and follow my instructions. Play stupid, play clever, make the mistake of saying ‘no’? That collar on your neck’ll go off and take your head with it.” The hologram said. His mouth didn’t move, but he spoke as if he were looking right at her.

“Collar? What are you talking about?” She was very groggy, still. She felt something heavy and cold around her neck. Fairly uncomfortable.

“It’s like that pip-boy on your wrist, except filled with explosives. A little radio of the Old World, just needed some tuning. So what I say, and the collar won’t go odd… refuse, try and run, disobey me? I’ll kill you and find someone else. There’s no escape from here until I let you go. The sooner you accept your situation, the better.”

She was beginning to get pissed, and certainly a bit amused. This guy didn’t know who he’d dragged in. “Then maybe you better tell me why the fuck I’m here.”

“Watch it.” He said. “That structure you see above the Fountain - the Sierra Madre Casino… you need to break inside. A… heist. Too many years in the making. But to get inside, avoid its traps… you’ll need to gather the team. As I’ve found, one cannot do it alone.”

“I’m not alone, then…”

“Around the Villa are three other collars like yours - Collar 8, 12, and 14. Find all three and get them here, to the Fountain. Then, we’ll talk more. And should you get any ideas about killing each other and taking the treasure of the Sierra Madre for yourself - a warning. All your collars are linked… one of you dies, you all die. If that’s what it takes to make you cooperate, so be it.”

“Well, I need my gear, where is it?” 

“The Sierra Madre has many… defenses, means of screening guests for illicit or dangerous items. Your arrival here, weaponless, was not my intention. The Casino, this Villa… it takes anything with even a trace of radioactivity, traces of unknown substances… and returns it home. The bunker. The process is automated, and the casino itself has other, similar ‘services’. I was unable to find a workaround, except to send others in as tools. Still… I have no left you defenseless, and the Sierra Madre security in some respects, can help you if you are resourceful enough. Also… there is one more thing in your possession, a rifle that will keep you alive, as surely as the collar will.”

Six picked the weapon up off of the ground, “What is this rifle?”

“It is a Holorifle, a weapon I constructed when I arrived… I have since made superior models - and modifications. For now, that tool will have to do until you find other weapons… and I suggest you do, the Holorifle’s ammo is limited. Still, it should serve well enough. I fashioned it from the Holograms of the Villa and used it against the Villa’s… living inhabitants.”

“The inhabitants? There’s people alive here?”

“Yes… the inhabitants… avoid them if you can, they are difficult to kill. Whatever has created them, bullets, explosives, energy… it can make them inert for a time, then they seem to crawl back up, restored. Perhaps it’s the Cloud… perhaps something in their physiology.”

“Well that’s… comforting. As if dealing with your bat-shit craziness wasn’t bad enough. I know I’m gonna regret asking this, but what’s the Cloud?” 

“The Cloud is what blankets the sky here… you may smell it in the air, copper and sulfur… burns the lungs and seeps into the skin. As for its origins… I am not certain. Pre-War industrial pollutants… something in the Sierra Madre structure… it is unique across the wasteland… and deadly. It has kept this place preserved since the Great War.”

“Wonderful. Will exposure kill me?”

“The air here is lethal only if you enter concentrated pockets of the Cloud. Too long inside one, you’ll die, so be careful where you step. I’ve seen some survive concentration of the Cloud for short periods of time if healthy enough - others were too weak. Re-breathers, chemical suits… there is no protection against it, it decays all it touches. I’ve found fighting it useless.”

“Is that what’s made you fuckin’ nuts?”

He sounded somewhat frustrated as he ignored her question and continued. “Another warning, there’s technology here that’s a threat to you… notably, the Villa’s radios and speakers. Music was intended to be broadcast all over the Villa… over time, however, the radio signal has decayed and emits a different frequency. Speakers and radios interfere with the bomb collar frequency, and can trigger the detonators… prematurely. It is an unfortunate side effect, one I did not anticipate. I was unable to calibrate the collars to block the signals - so you’ll have to make due. At least, they won’t set the collar off immediately. You’ll have a few seconds to either destroy the speaker or turn off the radio. However, there are speakers that are shielded… you can’t destroy those. You’ll have to figure out a way around them. The damaged speakers are sparking, ha… hard to miss. You’ll have to shoot them. The shielded speakers… may can be switched off. Maybe not.”

Six sighed, frustrated. “All right. So find the other three people with bomb collars, bring them back here?” 

“I’ve downloaded instructions and markers on your pip-boy… in case you forget. And yes, I have access to that device on your wrist. Get the other three here, after that… I’ll have more instructions for you. Do this, I’ll let you go. I’ll let all of you go.”

“And just how am I supposed to find them?”

“Your piece of RobCo trash will help you, I’ve ensured it. It can latch on to the signal of the collars… and tune into their frequencies. The bomb collars come with radios embedded in them. You can eavesdrop easily.”

“Okay, I’ll play your stupid game. Who are these other people?”

“One is a trusted ally… obedient, collar or no, although the collar helps. The other two… well, we’ll have to see what the traps caught. I suggest you find Collar 8 first. The FEV reject, the Super Mutant. He’s docile, predictable, and provided he’s not starving, should be easy to command. I lost contact with him some time ago… probably after he dragged you here from the trap. Find him, he’ll follow you, collar or no.”

“All right, well, I guess that’s all I needed to know.”

“Good. If necessary, I will guide you through the Villa’s broadcast systems - if you get lost, return here and I’ll direct you. I’ve downloaded instructions on an audio log to your pip-boy in case you can’t read… if you forget why you’re here, let my voice remind you.” The hologram disappeared and replaced itself with another hologram of some woman.

“Because that’s not creepy at all.” She said to herself. She opened up the pip-boy and noticed 3 new radio stations. The jumpsuit she’d been dressed in was highly uncomfortable, almost as much as the stupid collar around her neck. Six didn’t want to play his game… but she had to get back. Back to find Benny and Caesar. Back to Boone. She knew he had to be worried, at least a little bit.

Six set off, paying attention to the marker downloaded on her pip-boy that pointed her in the direction of Collar 8. The further she roamed from the fountain, the more strange noises she began to hear - almost like hindered breathing. She couldn’t tell what it was nor did she want to find out. She stayed crouched low to the ground, hoping to stay out of sight in case she ran across any of those ‘inhabitants’. She began to noticed writing on some of the buildings. _“Find me and we can talk.”_ She also started coming across something similar to poker chips. She decided to pick them up and stash them inside the small pack she’d been provided. Suddenly, the man’s voice came across the broadcast system, causing her to jump. “Watch out for the Villa inhabitants, they’re… difficult to kill unless you chop them apart…” The voice told her. “If you can, blow them up or disintegrate them.”

She continued on, avoiding the inhabitants the best she could since her ammunition was limited. Another message was scrawled across a building: _“Find God in the simplest of beats.”_ Six followed the road winding around and there, standing close to an archway was what, she assumed, was one of the inhabitants. It wore all black, and as it turned around, it’s eyes glowed green as if it had on some type of altered hazmat suit. Before it saw her, she took aim and blasted it with her holorifle, causing it to disintegrate. _The casino is the old man’s collar.”_ Another message read. She wondered who had taken the time to write such things… and were they still around. She came face to face with a red fog - the Cloud. She didn’t go in it. Didn’t need to. She kept going straight, arriving at the Police Station. Opening the door and stepping inside, she could hear strange radio static as the man came over the system again, “Speakers and radios interfere with the bomb collar frequency, and can trigger the detonators. Remember that.” Six sighed and as soon as she took a few steps away from the door, her collar began to beep - she figured that was a bad thing. When she backed up, the beeping stopped… she knew she was going to have to risk it to shut those radios off. She ran around and located 3 or 4 radios to switch off, keeping her eye on the Super Mutant in the cage. Eventually, she went down a flight of stairs and came to the door of the basement. Against her better judgment, she went in. 

She was greeted by another message on the wall: _“God is watching.”_ Turning to go down the hallway, a voice came over the system, but it wasn’t the same man. This voice was deeper… different. “Knew you would come, below the cage… down to where I am. Maybe you saw the letters I scratched on the Villa walls.”

“Just fuckin’ great… as if one nutjob wasn’t enough.” She figured she’d continue throughout the basement, maybe she’d find whomever was talking to her and end him… there was only room for one psycho in this place. 

“A little further. Follow my voice… that’s it. The one in the cage? Dog. I had to lock him up, he keeps… disobeying me.”

Finally, Six came face to face with… “A radio. It’s a fucking radio.”

“That’s me, there, on the table. The disk. My voice.” He told her. She picked up the holotape and put it in her pack. She already hated the game she was being forced to play. The voice kept going, “Can’t take any chances, though… you may be some victim who simply stumbled down here. If so, can’t let you let Dog out… no, not yet. If you’re who I think you are, you came to fetch Dog, use him to drag others here. Now I’ll use you - and that pip-boy you’re wearing. You’re smart. Clever. The key to Dog’s cage is simple. Take my voice to the cage above. Let me speak to the beast inside. Then you and I… we can talk.”

“I’m gettin’ real tired of this shit.” She said out loud, hoping whoever could hear her. She didn’t like taking directions from people she knew, much less people she didn’t. But, she did it anyway. She got back upstairs and walked over to the cage containing the Mutant… then played the holotape.

The Mutant stood up, sounded just like the voice over the intercom system. “What have we here? You weren’t who I was expecting.” He said. “I’m disappointed. Still… even if you aren’t my intended guest, you take directions. Good. You can’t have been an idiot to figure out how to release me from my cage… or perhaps you are, with that leash on your arm and the one around your neck… with our collars and manacles, why, we may as well be kin.”

“Who in the fuck are you?”

“I’m the voice of reason. I sleep sometimes… down in the basement, in the cage. Now that I’m awake, Dog goes back in the cage. Dog knows I’m here, but can’t do anything about it. I’m his… conscience. Keep him tame, keep him from hurting us… doing foolish things. I’ve been trapped in here for some times, then you come along and let me out. So… you opened my cage for a reason. Now… I want to know why.”

Six thought for a moment, “In Super Mutants, brain damage is usually the result of prolonged Stealth Boy usage. Is that the case?”

“That’s the easy explanation, the one humans use. Pre-war technology, as if it’s the cause of all ills, mind and body. I needed to come out of the cage to protect Dog. From clever humans… like you. Do you see these wounds of his, covering his skin… the bear trap on his arm? He placed his own hand in it. The name carved in his chest? To remind him of who he is, the inflicts pain on himself to silence me, when all I try to do… hrr! He cuts, hurts, and tries to murder me out of him. He won’t succeed. Just makes me angrier. Dog is the best, we simply change cages. Like the ones here.”

“I didn’t ask for you life story, but all right. You said you weren’t expecting me… so… who were you waiting for?”

“Don’t play stupid, I already have to mind one child. You must have figured it out by now. The Old Man obsessed with the Sierra Madres… riddled with greed. Hoped you might be him when I woke up. All you are is his hand… you’re the same kind of greed. Followed the radio, the broadcast, and now you’re here, all confused. Not for long. You’ll figure it out.”

“Actually, _dickbag_ , my being here is purely accidental. There was no greed involved. No following that radio broadcast. I stumbled onto the bunker and got curious. The repeating broadcast that I heard within the bunker, was annoying. I walked over to the radio to turn it off, got hit with some sleepy-time fog, woke up here.”

“How unfortunate. Doesn’t matter. None of us will likely make it out of here alive. Well, I might, but you probably won’t.”

“Well, whatever. So, you’ve locked yourself in there. Smart. You wouldn’t have locked yourself in without some sort of key to let you out, though.”

“The key? Why it’s the Old Man, Elijah, the one who brought us here. I hid the key on me so Dog wouldn’t know… I just need the Old Man to show up, so he and I can talk. If Dog was in control when the Old Man appeared… well, he would just do whatever he commanded, as always. And I can’t have that.”

“Elijah, told me I’d be looking for someone with a collar like mine. He said I’d need to find Collar 8, the FEV reject. Guessin’ that’s you. But, where is your collar?”

“It’s close. Closer than I’d like… Dog’s been into things, needs to think before he eats, chew before he swallows. He’s… eager that way. Now the collar’s a part of me. Inside. I can feel it’s electronic heartbeat, clicking and burning down below… like before. It was cold and heavy before going in the cage… now you’re here, and it’s pulling and kicking again, tugging like a leash. Interesting.”

“I’m gonna wager a guess here and say that… maybe… just maybe… you shouldn’t go around shoving Old World tech in your stomach.”

“As if I had a choice. Sometimes instinct takes over, and that’s when I go into the cage. It’s like curiosity that way. After all, you wouldn’t have put that collar on by choice… perhaps it was your curiosity that caused that hand to close on your neck.”

“I’m really done talkin’, now. I need to get you outta there.”

“No… no, I don’t think so. Even in here, I have more control than you do. I’m not leaving until the one who controls the collars shows… not his voice, not his hand, not his lackey… him. And when he comes to see me, we’ll settle things. So, go on, go back to your master, tell him I’m waiting for him. Dog may follow him - I won’t.”

Six was started to get extremely frustrated, the more he spoke the longer this was going to take. “If you don’t come with me, he’ll set off our collars - yours and mine.”

“Then I still win. I’d rather die in this cell than have Dog follow him any longer, follow his orders, his commands, desperate for recognition. The Old Man… he has the need to hold on, to the past, to the Madre… I’d rather be free, let go of this shell, than have it cage me any longer.”

“Yeah, well, I want my freedom, too. I have shit to do, things to take care of. You think I like having this collar on me?”

“They all wanted their freedom at first. Then… they realized they could get inside the Sierra Madre. After that, their freedom wasn’t important any more. They couldn’t let go, just like the Old Man. So you say you want your freedom… no… even if you feel that way, it won’t last. You’ll forget, get greed-blind, and you’ll turn.”

“I’m gettin’ real tired of your shit. I could just order Dog to come with me. I bet he’d obey.”

“Dog? You’re not talking to him now, are you? No, even if you could drag Dog out of his cage, you still couldn’t get him out of this cage. I put him in here for a reason… if he could have escaped, he would have. So here he stays.”

“You said so yourself, the key’s in there with you - and Dog.”

“Yes, but Dog doesn’t know that. We don’t share everything. Sometimes it’s a blessing… sometimes… it causes difficulties. Now I think it’s a blessing, it keeps you on that side of the cage. Now… you go fetch. Find your master, bring him here so we can talk.”

Six was getting impatient. “Sometimes tells me I could walk Dog through unlocking a door.”

“Yes… you could. And once he was out, all starving and hungry… what do you think he would do then? Be careful what cage you open, because he won’t go back in it without a fight. He’ll tear you apart, he won’t care if it kills you both.”

“If he heats the Old Man’s voice, he’ll do what Elijah says.”

“Dog… obeys. Yes. Why… do you have some means of contacting the Old Man?”

“I can play his voice, yes. I have an audio log from him on my pip-boy.”

“You… don’t play it. If you do, I’ll find a way to get out of this cage, end you. I’ll murder you, crush your arms and legs until…”

Six grinned wickedly at him, she didn’t care what he thought he could do. “Goodbye, whoever you are… I’m going to let Dog out of his cage.”

“No! No, no, don’t! I’ll make you suffer for this, I promise you. Although it won’t matter… I suspect the Sierra Madre will be reward enough for ones like you.”

Six continued to grin and she slowly raised her pip-boy up. Watching the Mutant’s rage building, she pushed play. The recording of Elijah spoke and she could see a change occur almost instantly in his demeanor. “Master?” Dog said. “Dog not hear you come in… too hungry, now… at cage door? Master, Dog is listening now you are close and he can hear you over hunger.”

“Now that you’re awake, Master wants you to listen, Dog. Hidden on you is the key. Find it, and toss it to me.”

“Dog… Dog doesn’t have a… huh. Here it is. Dog… Dog didn’t know it was there. How did it get there?”

“Just give me the key - you want out of the cage, don’t you?”

“Yes, Master… Master sounds different, quieter, softer. Master… Dog doesn’t want to be in the cage any more. Dog will be good this time, Dog promises.”

As soon as Six unlocked the door, she instructed Dog to head back to the Fountain where she’d seen the hologram of Elijah. Immediately, he obeyed her command and sprinted out the door. Before she left the police station, she happened to look at a nearby desk, spotting a bottle of whiskey. She didn’t care how irradiated it was, she picked it up and took a large gulp. After a bit of coughing, she put the cap back on it and shoved it down into her pack, then exited the station. She felt kind of bad about what she’d done with… was his name ‘God’? She wasn’t sure, but that’s what she’d decided to call him. She headed to the Fountain herself and found Dog waiting there. Carefully, she walked over to him and played the command tape she picked up in the basement. Dog went back into his cage,God spoke, “If it isn’t the clever one. What do you want?”

“I just… wanted to apologize for putting you back into the cage. You weren’t cooperating and I needed you here. You keep calling Elijah my master, but the truth of it is… I really don’t want to play this game, but it’s either play or die. I have other things… obligations… to handle in the Mojave - I can’t die. Not yet.”

“Don’t you see? You aren’t going to make it out of here alive. Once you get into the Sierra Madre, the greed… it’ll overcome you. Just like every other weak human that’s come through here.”

“You assume that I even want what the Madre has to offer.”

“Everyone… wants it.”

Six just rolled her eyes at him and looked at the map on her pip-boy, looking for the next collar she had to collect - Collar 12. The Residential District. Luckily, it wasn’t far from the fountain. However, as soon as she walked through the doors Elijah’s voice came over the system, startling her again. “Picking up signals near your location. Detonators. Watch for traps.” Round and round she went. Upstairs. Downstairs. Disarming pressure plates and tripwires. Avoiding fragmentation mines, the inhabitants… the Cloud. 

Eventually, hours later, she walked into a deteriorating house to hear a radio playing. Not like the static frequencies that interfered with her collar, but an actual radio. She went up stairs to only hear it increase in volume. Up on the third floor, she rounded a corner and went through a doorway to see a man… er, ghoul… dressed in a fancy tuxedo, gazing out a hole in the wall. “Have a seat, and then we’ll talk.” He said in a very different accent - one Six had never heard before. She did as he requested and took a seat in the chair next to him. He continued looking out the hole in the wall as he talked to her, “The Sierra Madre. Mmm… beauty, isn’t she. She the one who invited you here? Or maybe you didn’t catch her voice on the radio. Woke up, confused, like some of the others. Least you’re still breathing. By the way, don’t get up or make any sudden motions, no matter how uncomfortable that chair gets… the cushion’s just for show.” 

“Better be a shaped charge, or you’re going to kill both of us.”

The fancy-looking Ghoul laughed. “Sounds like you’ve done some blue collar construction work in your life, your Ma must be proud. Still… get up without my permission, I’ll blast your ass so far through your head, it’ll turn the moon cherry pie red. So - let’s keep this sweet and polite, and finish our conversation with no misunderstandings.”

“I’ll save my questions for the end - please, go on.” Six loved the accent coming from the dapper gentleman. She didn’t care if she had a bomb under her butt.

“And that’s what I’ve missed - a rapt audience. Just because I work in entertainment, doesn’t mean I’m a moron. I heard my necktie beeping, I know what that means - I’m part of this somehow. I want out of this contract. And if you put me in it, I’m not going to be too happy. So whatever’s going on here, if you’re part of all this? You’re taking orders from me.”

“I’ll cooperate. What do you want?”

“Good, good - then we’re in business. I may be a betting man, but I like it when the odds are in our favor. If you’re here with who I think, then I’d rather have you on my side than his. An… ace in the hole. You want to live, I want what’s in the Madre. Real simple.”

“I’m in. If that’s all, let’s head out.”

“All right… _partner_. We don’t have to take the long way back - there’s a shortcut across the way, you see. It’s through the Cloud - but if I’m with you, I can help you through it. If you didn’t already force the lock to the gate, that is.”

They left the building the ghoul was holed up in, dodging all of the traps he’d left around. She hoped he’d remember where they all were, she didn’t much feel like accidentally setting anything off - especially if it got the attention of those inhabitants. She ended up telling the ghoul her name, though she figured he probably didn’t care. But, he humored her and said his name was Dean Domino - he was a lounge singer before the Great War. No sooner than they got back to the Fountain, God started arguing with Dean. Six separated them and let them know that until they got the collars off, they’d have to work together and get along. Dean, in his appreciation of her shutting God up, he handed her a special… drink… he’d made. He called it the Sierra Madre Martini. He told her to hold her nose and down some. So she did. “Oh my god.” She choked, “That shit’s awful!”

Six set out for the third and final collar, Collar 14. By the looks of the marker on her pip-boy, she was heading to the Medical District. Once she got there, Elijah spoke again, something about comm speakers, reminding her yet again that it’d set her collar off if she struck around too long. Instead of avoiding the speakers or inhabitants… she just ran. As fast as her legs would carry her. Around and around, into the first door she came across - The Clinic. She could hear whirring and buzzing… and possibly banging. She decided to play it cautious instead of reckless, she had no idea what she would find. Stumbling across the Auto-Doc portion of the clinic, the noises got louder, as if someone were trapped in an Auto-Doc. Six knew she was going to have to cut the power. Looking around for a shut off switch, she stumbled across the basement door… which, she recalled, is where a lot of shut off switches were located. This time was no different. Downstairs, she located a terminal where she could disengage the main power to the Clinic. Afterwards, she checked on the power status to make damn sure she turned everything off. 

Locating, what seemed to be, a malfunctioning Aut-Doc… Six put her ear up to the side and sure enough, that’s where the whizzing and whirring noises were coming from. Typing a few things in on the terminal attached, the door swung open and a very traumatized looking woman stumbled out. She appeared disoriented and in pain - Six didn’t blame her. The woman’s face was scarred pretty badly and her head had been shaved. The woman blinked and winced, as if blinking was causing her pain. Six new it was a dumb question, but she asked anyway - “Are you all right?” The woman just looked at her and opened her mouth, but no sound came out of it. She touched her throat and traced the scar that sat beneath her chin. Her eyes widened in alarm. 

“Hey, hey, easy. I’m here to help.” Six told her. The woman looked back at the Auto-Doc and cringed, then turned her attention back to her rescuer. She clenched her fists and narrowed her eyes, taking a few steps back as if studying Six. “This isn’t what it looks like.” She said. The strange woman started making flailing hand motions too fast for her to be able to figure out. That is, until she discovered the collar around her throat. The woman, whose face had been carved up in too many places, traced her fingers along the cold metal, locating the button. Appearing as if she was about to press it, Six yelled: “Don’t do that!”

This woman suddenly got a look of surprise on her face and raised an eyebrow when she noticed Six had on a collar as well. “Let’s just say, we’re in this together - you, me, and two others. If we work together, maybe we can get out of this.” The strange woman shook her head and crossed her arms, as if she were pouting and refusing to cooperate. Six was getting impatient, “Look, I’m not trying to order you around. But your life is tied to mine.” The woman frowned and then made circles with her hands, and held her hands up to her face as if to indicate glasses. “So, you’re looking for something.” Six assumed. “Fine. I can help. But you’re not gonna find shit if you cause us both to die. Just… meet me at the Fountain in Town Square, then we’ll talk more. Er, well… I’ll talk.” The woman gave a brief nod and headed out. Six noticed if she stayed close enough to her, there was some type of signal that would interfere for a short time with the radio frequencies. She was going to use this to her advantage. 

Once she got back to the Fountain, she got more instructions from the Old Man about starting the Gala Event that would prompt the Grand Opening of the Casino. “Good, well done…” He told her. “Now, for the festivities, and your parts in all this. The owner of the Sierra Madre… for whatever reason… keyed the Grand Opening to the Gala Event itset. It needs to be fired off in order for the casino doors to open. As I’ve discovered, one person can’t do it. So, you get your team into position indicated on your pip-boy, then trigger it properly. You’re so close now, don’t let me down. Otherwise, I’ll have to rely on the next team.”

“How am I supposed to get to the markers on my map?”

“I’ve unlocked the West and East gates to Puesta del Sol and Salida del Sol… now that you’ve survived the Villa, I need to get to my position, you don’t need me to hold your hand anymore. I’ll keep monitoring you via the transceivers through the Villa… if I need to offer guidance, I will. I’d suggest taking the FEV reject to his position first… although you may need his brutality and strength elsewhere. As easy as the Villa was to navigate… the outlying areas of the Villa are far more dangerous, thicker with the Ghost People, traps, and toxins. Use your team as I use you… listen to your collar, watch where you step. You’re no use to me dead.” And once again, the hologram disappeared.

Six walked over to God, before she could even open her mouth, he spoke. “Maybe Dog will obey you. I’m not that easily broken.”

“Really… c’mon just cooperate with me here. It’s been a long day… or days. I’m not sure how long I’ve fuckin’ been here.”

“I’m not going to just submit to your command like Dog would to the Old Man’s.”

“Look, I can put your ass back in the cage and not think twice about it. I would prefer it if you’d just play along with this. Besides, I like your company better.”

“As well you should.” He said, almost sounding surprised. “But… alright, let’s get this over with. Although, I’m not sure how smart that is. Dog is much stronger and more willing to kill than I am.”

“I guess we’ll just have to make due then, won’t we?” Six smiled at him a little. She really did prefer talking to him, he was easier to hold a conversation with. Being away from Boone made her realize how lonely it was without him. It bothered her being alone, all she did was think and her mind was not a friendly place. The entire time she was stuck in this ‘City of Ghosts’, all she could do was recall the past year as she snuck around the inhabitants. But these 3, they all had something in common with her - aside from the collars. Pain. It made her feel closer to them, somehow. Almost like they were friends. Six wanted to free them from those collars, for everyone to made it out of that place alive. She was going to try and play the hero, but not if it were to cost her her life. It’s not that she was afraid to die, it wasn’t even that she had unfinished business. It was Boone. She was his responsibility, he’d said. Was he going crazy wondering if she was okay or if she was going to come back? The only way to know was to make it out of there alive - so, she had to play Elijah’s game.

They safely made it to the area where God needed to pull some levers that had rusted in place. Six told him she needed him to stay there and do just that when given the signal. God refused. “You can lead me to water… no, being trapped in this courtyard while lights are flashing and sirens screaming… I can survive one or two of the inhabitants… more than that, even Dog would have to work to keep full without being carved to pieces. And the gate here… if it somehow got locked, it’d be the holding cell at the Police Station again, except with no way out.”

Six looked at him, placing her hand on his hulking arm, “You need to trust me if we’re going to get through this. I promise, I’m not going to lock you in. If it somehow locks itself, I WILL come for you. I’m not going to let you die.”

“You would die getting to me. Once the Gala Event is triggered, it’s going to get all the inhabitants attention… they’ll swarm this place.”

“I don’t care. I promise, I won’t let you die.” Somehow, she got him to agree without much more argument. “I’m going to shut the gate so you’ll have some protection. Once it’s triggered, you haul ass back to the Fountain, do you hear me? Don’t stop, you just run.” He nodded at her, albeit hesitantly. She showed him once she shut the gate that it would open back up. He wasn’t sure if that made him feel better or worse. God watched Six sneak off in the shadows, thinking to himself that he was probably about to die. He hoped, though, that she’d come back for him if he got stuck. 

Six made it back to the Fountain without incident. She walked up to the Ghoul and he greeted her, “Hello, beautiful.” He said. “Was… that him floating above the Fountain, the boss man? The one who put these bowties on our necks? Sure does like to make a presentation… wish he’d keep it down, or else the Ghost People are going to swarm the gates, Vera hologram or no.”

“Vera hologram? You know the holographic woman?” Six said, a bit surprised.

“Yeah. Don’t you? Or… guess Vera Keyes got lost along with the rest of the holo-archives when the bomb hit, huh? Ghost in the name and image. Still a looker, though. Got to hand it to Sinclair, sure can pick ‘em. Well, or get picked. Whichever.”

“Can you tell me about her?”

He looked a bit saddened, “Vera was a big star, back before the Bomb. Not the best actress, but… well, she had other talents. Nice voice, nice legs. For some reason, Sinclair… he built this place… she caught his eye. Once he was hooked, that was it, had to have her. So made the introductions, and guess what? He builds this place for her, like some kind of Cleopatra obsession. Wasn’t always a deathtrap.”

“Introductions? You mean… you knew her before?”

“Of course. What, some kind of surprise to you that I knew people once? Used to have my name in lights, all right? Figured I could introduce her to Sinclair. I feel like he built this place as a way to convince her into sticking around. There’d been talk of her leaving this place and heading northeast, to Boston.”

“Boston?”

“Yeah, it’s quite far from here. Sure, I’d heard about it but never traveled there, myself. Although, I’ve heard from people who’ve been trapped here before that it’s actually still around. The Boston Commonwealth, they called it.”

“You said that’s northeast of here?”

“It’s in the northeastern part of the country. Must further than you’d likely travel.”

“You have no idea.”

“Oh?” He said curiously. “Enlighten me, then.”

“Long story short, I’m from Texas. Parents moved my family to Washington D.C. - the Capital Wasteland. Came to the Mojave about a year ago via caravan.”

“Huh. You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?” She smiled and grabbed him by the hand, telling him that it was his turn and they were heading to Puesta del Sol. He wasn’t thrilled with the idea, but he followed her anyway. “I suppose we haven’t properly been introduced yet. Dean Domino, at your service.”

“I’m Six.”

“Six. As in… the number? That’s quite an odd name. What made your parents decide on that?”

“They didn’t. I did. It’s not my birth name.”

“Oh, well that’s a relief.” He stayed crouched down behind her and let her lead the way. He wasn’t comfortable with any of it, but he was liking the view from where he was. There was something about her - perhaps it was her ‘take charge’ attitude. Her apparent lack of fear. Or maybe it was because she wasn’t a complete moron. Much to her relief, the Puesta del Sol area was fairly close by, only a few inhabitants had to be navigated past. Once into that portion of the area, Six looked around, noticing that they could move along rooftops. She pointed it out to Dean and he agreed that it would likely be their best course of action. 

As they went in and out of houses, looking for ways to sneak up to the roof, he couldn’t stop watching her. She was the first person who’d ever been caught that was so methodical with every single movement. He tried having a conversation with her, but she didn’t seem much for talking because it might rouse the attention of the Ghost People. Finally, a way to the rooftops had been discovered. Once they got up top, Dean noticed there was an area where it looked like someone had been sitting and sleeping. This was his only opportunity to talk to her. “Six?” He said, stopping. “Can we wait here a moment?”

“Sure, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I just would like to get better acquainted. You know, running around this shit-show and all, makes you feel kinda close to a person. Over the years, I’ve learned to read people very well. And, I can tell you’ve been through some real shit. But it seems like it’s all bottled up inside, why is that?”

She didn’t look him in the eye, only peered off the side of the roof, watching for Ghost People. “I keep it all inside because… I’d rather the pain destroy me… rather than everyone else.” 

“Curious.” He looked her body up and down, trying to read her body language… figure her out.

She turned to look at him and watched him remove his sunglasses, revealing his eyes that were solid black. “Did it hurt? When you turned into a Ghoul, I mean.”

“Like a son of a bitch. It wasn’t so much the radiation that was painful, it was what occurred after when my skin began to fall off. All of these scars are a result of that. Not to get off of the subject here but you are quite… intriguing. I’m getting the idea that you’re not here for the Madre at all.”

“I’m not. I just wanna get the hell outta here. Preferably with the three of you alive.”

“Really… how interesting.” Dean didn’t know how to take her… or if she was even telling the truth. It felt like she was. To him, she was like a soft glow of radiation in a sea of red - a lighthouse guiding those safely through the fog. “Um, Six, is it? Humor me, would you? Has anyone ever recognized your magnificence?” 

She looked at him, very confused. “My what?”

“You’re a magnificent creature. A beacon. I’m sure someone has pointed that out to you.”

“I guess someone has… once. His name was Joshua. He didn’t put it quite into those exact words… but close.”

They talked for a bit about things that had went on in their lives. Six gave him a bit of background story on herself, and he did the same. He told her about how it was before the Great War and spoke of Vera Keyes fondly. She couldn’t help but ask him about Boston. She’d decided that, because of the Legion, she didn’t care much about the Mojave. She didn’t like the idea of leaving her brother behind, but if she’d made the trek there once, she could do it again. If she did decide to go to the Commonwealth, she would make it a point to take the journey at least once every year or so. She owed it to Packrat… and the people of Goodsprings. It was something to think about. Packrat would love the idea. But, how would she break it to Boone? She’d somewhat began to daydream while listening to Dean talk. He took her by surprise when he pulled her in for a hug. It wasn’t because she hadn’t been paying attention, it was more that she wasn’t expecting it. After a few minutes, he let go and without an explanation he told her it would probably be a good idea for them to make their way over to where he needed to be. She agreed.

Once they got to the south part of Puesta del Sol, Dean noticed that he was on the second floor of some house that wasn’t very safe. There wasn’t anything to prevent the Ghost People from waltzing right in and saying hello. “So, this is where I’m supposed to put on a light show? Played better venues, let me tell you. What’s that there… wiring?” He pointed at two wires laying on the ground close by. “Looks… like it’s tied to the sound system in the Villa, except for that snipped section there. So… what, I stand here, hold the two ends in my hands, and tap them together like cymbals?”

Six nodded, “Apparently that’s the plan. Are you going to be able to do it safely?”

“Well… ‘safely’... around here, that word doesn’t come cheap. Look, I strike up the speaker system, there’s going to be ghosts all over this place. Any change in the sounds around here… the Ghost People are not big on talking, they are big on listening. Hunting. Killing. More vicious than music critics, trust me.”

Six thought for a moment remembering something Dean had said back at the Fountain about the Vera hologram. He’d made it sound as if it would keep the Ghost People away. As she thought about it, she realized that she hasn’t seen any of them around that area the entire time. “If I clear out all the Ghost People in the area, will you change your mind?”

“No, you want to know why? Because there’s more beneath the streets, in the buildings, and oh - everywhere else. They hear anything out of the ordinary, especially ‘music’ screaming through the speakers when I close the connection? They’ll be here, fast.”

“Okay… well, the Villa has holograms everywhere. If I switch on some to cover the area…”

“Well… yeah. If the hologram systems still work, that’d do the trick. Okay… all right, you call up some of those Old World stiffs, that’d be an audience I wouldn’t mind having below.”

“Okay.” She nodded. “Let me see if I can reactivate some of the holograms.”

“If I remember correctly, there should be two holograms you can switch on in this area… just don’t remember how. Do that, and I’ll consider waiting on this rooftop. Maybe.” Dean grabbed her by the hand as she walked past him, “Be careful out there. You get in trouble, you scream as loud as you can and I’ll come running. Ghost People or no.”

“I’m not going to risk your life, Dean. It’s already at risk enough with that collar around your neck.”

Six wandered around Puesta del Sol, in an out of deteriorating buildings, trying to find something - she assumed terminals or levers - to switch on those holograms. Finally, she found both of them, one nowhere near the other. She safely made her way back to him on that rooftop and if he wouldn’t have had the sunglasses on, she probably would’ve seen a surprised look on his face.

“Didn’t even scream once.” He said, smiling. “Didn’t think much of our chances, to be honest. Now I’m thinking I was wrong. I see you powered the holograms up. That’s pretty good protection. Sure worked at the Fountain, Vera kept the Ghost people away. But, uh… how do I know the power won’t suddenly go out? And… I don’t know, this still sounds risky to me. For me.”

Six gave him a sly grin and nudged his shoulder. “Dean… a man with cold feet isn’t someone I’d share a bed with.”

His jaw almost hit the ground at her unexpected response. “Wait, hold on. I didn’t say I was scared. Heh, heh. Cold feet? Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve played to worse crowds than this, I can hold the fort here. But listen… when this thing goes off, try and get into the Sierra Madre without me? You’ll wish you hadn’t.”  
“You must know me enough by now to know I’m not going to put you in danger…”

“Yeah… yeah, you’re right. You didn’t have to switch on those holograms, and you did. Even when you first showed up in the Villa, you didn’t threaten me, were just willing to cooperate to get through this. Huh. All right… look, if the holograms are here to keep me company, then… I don’t mind staying here for a while. When this things triggers though, you make your way to the Madre as fast as you can. Don’t stop to chit-chat up the inhabitants… there will be more than you can fathom.”

Six nodded as Dean hugged her once more and headed back towards the Fountain. She recalled that on the way to Dean’s location, they passed a switching station - which was where the woman needed to be led to. Getting back to Town Square was fairly simple because it wasn’t far. The woman, as before, was just standing there looking around. She followed instructions quite well, it seemed. For being unable to talk due to something happening to her voicebox, she was able to communicate easily enough with hand gestures. She’d managed to inform Six that she wasn’t looking for something, but someone - the Old Man. She didn’t say why, only that it had something to do with a girlfriend she’d had some time ago. She also managed to write out in some of the Cloud residue that her name was Christine. Six already had a general idea of where to go in Puesta del Sol… along with places the Ghost People were likely to be. Getting to the switching station was a breeze… getting Christine to cooperate, wasn’t. The Auto-Doc had traumatized her to the point that she wasn’t comfortable with going down the elevator to the manual bypass room in order to regulate the power. Instead, Six hacked a nearby remote maintenance terminal to route the main control to it. “Are you going to be okay here?” She asked. Christine nodded and made a gesture at Six’s hand, offering her own. Six took her hand, “I’ll be back for you, okay? If I don’t see you at the Madre, you just wait right here and I’ll be on my way. I mean it. Stay alive until I get back to you.” 

Six left the switching station immediately, and right at the exit, Elijah finally came over the speaker system. “The bell tower. That’s where you’ll trigger the Gala Event. It’s a ways up. I’m sure you’ll find a way to climb up there.”

It took her a bit to actually locate the bell tower in Salida del Sol… and find the entrance. It’s not that it was confusing… in that area there seemed to be more inhabitants to avoid. Eventually, she located the ladder that led up to the tower, after what seemed like hours of wandering and avoiding Ghost People. Once at the top, she looked at the rusted controls, hoping they would snap as soon as she tried to activate the event. Elijah spoke again: “Can you hear me…? Damn transceivers… let me link the collars to the speaker in the tower… then… there.” 

Just after that Six heard a series of tapping from the speaker. “Christine?” Six said. “We’re almost ready here.”

Next, God spoke over the system, “Ready. The both of us. I’ll keep Dog locked in his cage… you just open the Sierra Madre.”  
Dean smugly piped up, joking with her it seemed. “What are you waiting for? Rubbing it in? Strike up the band already. Careful when you do… you think the Villa’s bad now, you haven’t seen anything yet.”

“Okay.” Six said back to them. “Let’s do this. One the count of three… two… one…” She closed her eyes tightly and pulled the lever activating the control panel. 

“Finally.” Elijah spoke up. “Now, the gates will open. And so will the skies.” Fireworks lit up the Sierra Madre and a horrible noise came through the speakers. It wasn’t music, it was almost frightening. A sound indescribable. 

“Six.” Dean came over the system, “You run your ass off to the Madre. Remember what I told you, don’t stop.”

“Dog and I can make it from here, don’t worry about us. Do as Dean said.” 

She could hear more clicking, urgent but not frantic. She knew Christine was agreeing with the others. Six told them she would do just that and then slid down the ladder. As soon as she opened the door, she could hear a very uncomfortable amount of Ghost People wandering around. It’s like they’d all just come out of the woodwork. She wasn’t going to bother trying to sneak past them. Figured there was too many. No, she was going to run as fast as her legs would take her. It seemed like there were a hundred inhabitants that had flooded into Salida del Sol, but she didn’t stop. She kept running towards the Town Square as quickly as she could. She had to make it to the Fountain. And as luck would have it, she did. 

Six burst through the front gate of the Sierra Madre and darted inside. She got in long enough to see her three friends collapse to the floor, just as she did the same. Once coherent, she had no idea how much time had passed. There was a hologram standing in the middle of the staircase - Vera Keyes. It looked like Vera was talking, but there wasn’t any sound. She’d flicker and disappear, then return, continuing her hand movements. Elijah’s voice greeted her as she got to her feet. “You inside. Can you hear me? Power’s fluctuating… emergency power. Oh! You are in. Good… thought that might be the end of you. Unfortunately, your… ‘friends’ also found their way here. Knocked unconscious… just like you. Wondering what happened? You were hit by casino security. Detects anything foreign - radioactive, it subdues the ‘visitor’, moves them if needed. Huh… getting interference from old recordings… the guests who were trapped here… eh, shut that noise off. Looks like the casino moved your ‘friends’ around once inside… might be useful. Or not. Wonder if they came to help or kill you. Still… my signal should work through the speakers, now that you’re inside. Welcome to the Sierra Madre, in all its glory. This is what the Old World stood for, even with bombs about to rain down on them. Now look at it. Beautiful… now its guests are all dead. Better this way. Quiet. How the Mojave should be. Now - with the casino sleeping, it’s got places closed off - won’t let you go yet. We’ll get there, trust me, just need to wake it up.”

Six shook her head, feeling highly agitated, yet again. “Great, just what I wanted… more instructions.” She walked around, checking all of the doors, but it seemed the only one she had access to was the casino itself. More crap she didn’t want to have to do. She just wanted to get outta there and get back to Boone. Thoughts of Boston were weighing heavily on her - it’s what Packrat would want to do, it’s what he’d want her to do. Therefore, it’s what she was going to do. Without hesitation, she ran around, doing all of the things she needed to wake up the Sierra Madre. Disabling emitters to turn off holograms that wanted to attack her, checking terminals and doors… everything. While in the Cantina area, she thought she heard Dog… and God… talking to himself. Themself? Whichever it was, they sounded distraught. However, Six wasn’t able to open the emergency door for some reason. She’d have to find a different way in after she got the power going. Eventually she found the correct terminal for the Sierra Madre Security Network and unlocked the electrical closet door. 

Finally, she found the switch and flipped it on, causing Elijah to come back over the speaker again. “You woke it up… good. Emitter frequencies… lighting up everywhere… damn recordings… dead echoes in the frequencies. Casino’s security is shutting down… opening up its vendor and gambling programs in the back casino… heh. Still might be something for sale. Maybe something can help you now - security’s shut down. After you’re done looking around, head to the lobby, and we’ll deal with your… friends.” Six didn’t hesitate, she didn’t want to look around. As soon as she entered the lobby, he knew. “Wondering what happened to your team? Looks like they got moved to other floors. Interesting, maybe that’s why… hmmm, yes… yes. Perhaps the casino recognized specific guests… or guests with a voice or look close enough for them to be… assigned to that floor. We’ll see. Had hoped with the power restored, the systems would fully awake… specifically the sound archives. But no… your teammates’ collars on each floor are interfering with the systems. It’s the white noise filters embedded in their construction… they’re blocking the casino speakers, the music. You’ll need to recalibrate… or, destroy… each collar. To do that, you need to get close, reset the signal - or blow their heads off. I’ll leave the choice up to you - my preference? End them now. They’re of no use.”

Elijah kept droning on about the collars and the frequencies, Six stopped listening. She didn’t care what else he had to say. She knew where Dog, er, God… whoever… was - the Cantina. So that’s where she went first. She knew one of the emergency doors weren’t working for some reason and she’d have to find a different way in. Around and around she wandered, trying to find another door - she recalled seeing one close to the terminal that unlocked the electrical closet, she hoped it was what she needed. Luckily for her, it was. Upon entering God’s location, she could hear him walking around having a conversation with Dog - which was odd. She also figured out why the door wouldn’t open - there was a gas leak. She found a gas valve right away and repaired it, turning it off. Sneaking into a kitchen-like area, God spotted her, “He’s gotten too strong, too scared… even my own voice won’t help…” He said.

Dog interrupted, “You…? Master… no, not Master. Dog remembers you. Left Dog in cage, mean to Dog… now, Dog…” It seemed as though they were swapping between Dog and God now - “...will kill us both unless you do something.” God said. “Never felt him so strong before, he won’t listen to my voice. He’s… he’s…” “...hungry. Come here, or Dog will chase you, break you until you no run anymore.”

Six was running out of options. She didn’t know what to do… “Dog! Stay! If you don’t, Master will be mad!”

“Master? Don’t want Master to be mad… what does Master want Dog to…” “...listen to you… can’t hold him back much longer… tell him… to pull on his chain, as hard as…” “...Dog can. What Master wants, Dog can do. Please don’t be mad with Dog…”

She wasn’t going to let him die, she couldn’t make herself do it. “Dog, the Master sent me. He commands you to listen to my voice now.”

“Master? Master… Dog… Dog is listening.” “...both of us are. Tell him to listen to me. Then we can get out of this… finally… and…” “...now Dog is listening to voice, your voice only.”

Six sighed, feeling guilty about the decision she was about to make, but it was the only way. “Dog, listen to the other voice inside you. Go to sleep, let him come out.”

“If… if other voice comes out… Dog… Dog won’t wake up. Dog doesn’t want to sleep, please don’t make him…” “...go to sleep. Good. Yes… make him sleep. Please…” “...don’t make me go to sleep. I… Dog is tired. Dog is tired, can’t… keep eyes open. Sleep… Dog needs to sleep.” “Close your eyes, Dog, and only open them if the voice tells you.” Six couldn’t help but begin crying. God looked at her, “You did it. You… I don’t feel him struggling anymore… I’m in pain, and… I hate to say it, I’m starving, but… I’m not fighting him. All I wanted was him to listen to me, take care of him, keep him from hurting himself… now I can. One day, when he’s ready, I’ll let him out. When we… understand each other.”

Six wiped the tears from her eyes, “Are y’all goin’ to be all right?”

“Things here… are… under control.” God walked over and put his massive blue arms around Six and hugged her gently. She knew he could crush her with one squeeze, but she also knew that he wouldn’t. She wrapped her arms around him, and hugged him back. Whenever he broke the hug, he softly rested his gigantic hands on her shoulders, “Find the one that dragged us here, end him.” Then, he knelt down and, as best he could, kissed her forehead in thanks. Since Dog had eaten the bomb collar, there was no way to recalibrate it. Instead, he would have to wait for the collar to go cold again. Once the Old Man was dead.

Six made it back into the lobby, and much to her dismay, Elijah contacted her, “You’ve gotten one of the floor re-established, good… accessing the music archives now. Two more to go. The has-been seems to be in the Theater. If that Ghoul’s still alive… correct that. Or break him.” That really made her angry - Dean was the one she liked the most. She headed for the Tampico Theater. It was extremely difficult for her to find her way around in the dark, especially with the protected speakers causing her collar to beep every few steps she took. While she was there, she decided to take all of the alcohol she could carry - she’d need it afterwards. It was a few minutes before she located the key to backstage hiding behind some of Vera’s old partitures. 

Dean noticed Six as soon as she’d gotten close enough to the stage. “Finally, a friendly face… hey! Partner! Up here.” He called down to her from the balcony above the stage. He’d never been so happy to see anyone. “In a bit of a predicament here… had to duck backstage, take a powder, the audience is a little… murderous tonight. Do be careful.”

“Oh, hey up there! Did the Casino hit you like it hit me when you reached the lobby?”

“No idea… woke up here, thought I was dreaming for a second… right back on stage, the mic… thought I was back at the Fronds… well, except no audience, used to pack theaters back then… so stepped up on the stage, check things out… then suddenly holograms walked out of the wings… and they started raising their hands to their heads all creepy-like, not a good sign.”

“So… how do I get you outta there?”

“Trust me - as soon as you can, run to the door to the left - use the key you just got, and camp out. As bad as things are, it’s going to get a lor worse if either of us pops - so get backstage… until we get a better plan.”

“Dean, the theater speakers are wired to a central sound system, right?”

“Yeah… yeah, so what? We got bigger problems with the holograms… no, no, wait, you’re right. The Theater piped music and sound backstage, which means those little squealers are in the corridors back there, too.”

“Calm down, think. Do you know specifically where?”

“Uh… let’s see. Um, once you break right, watch each turn in the corridor, one’ll be on your right past my dressing room - and up. Oh, my dressing room - may have left the radio on, right by the table… uh, if you could just shut it off instead of blowing it u… uh, never mind. There’s bound to be others, too.”

“That’s the radios and speakers - what about a central sound system?”

“The speakers are all controlled by a central console. It’s the farthest from the only door out of here. So, you’d need to do a full circuit of the corridor to get to it. Once there, you’ll need to shut it down, and I don’t have the code. If you have the code, you can turn off all the speakers, make them settle down. Getting backstage should buy us time, just take it slow.”

“Wait… I need to head to the door to your left or mine?”

“What? Oh, my left - your right. So, yeah, run to the door on your right. Heh, almost got you killed there. Us… killed there.”

“I need a little more than that to go on if we’re going to break outta here. Getting backstage is a temporary measure if I can’t find the security terminal.”

“Yeah… yeah, right. So… let’s see… security’s around because the show hasn’t started. Guests aren’t allowed in, so… guess we need to start the show. Okay… so when they were setting this place up… we had rehearsals… and heh… Sinclair even set up hologram recordings of the shows so we could watch and critique our performances before a fake audience. Whatever. Thing is, when the recording queued up, a nice, calm, appreciative audience appeared in the Theater - no security with their head-blasting zap rays. So, find the music, get it to the projector room upstairs, then play it…? Might reset security, worth a shot.”

“All right, makes sense.” Six nodded her head. “Where’s the music?”

“Vera’s dressing room, I think. Snag the key out of my room and have a look around. Vera should have a master key to the projections room as well. She used to watch from up there.”

“Dean… what are you doing with a key to her room?”

“Do I have to spell it out? Come on. Time’s wasting, and those holograms are going to be on us any second.”

Six sighed and shook her head, “All right, I’ll break to my right, head for the locked door.”

“Good, go, and don’t get yourself killed - do that, and we’re both done.”

She did exactly as they discussed and headed for the door to her right. She rifled around in Dean’s room… if you can call picking the lock to his safe rifling. Then headed to Vera’s room. Dean seemed to have locked himself in the area he’d been talking to her from, but it didn’t matter - she preferred him there. She knew he was okay. Six carefully picked through Vera’s things, as per Dean’s request and found the recording and a master key. She didn’t bother telling Dean, she made a break for the projector room and fired up the music. Instantly, there was a hologram of pre-war-Dean on stage, singing. She was mesmerized for a moment, watching. He was a very attractive man back then - although, he wasn’t terrible looking now. As she stood there watching, Elijah popped in again, “Now, deal with the Ghoul. This has gone on long enough.”

Irritated, Six headed backstage once again to find Dean leaning against the doorway of his dressing room. His arms were folded and he was smiling, “Those electric ghosts aren’t the kind of audience I like at the best of times - at least the ones in the Villa had manners. Don’t even know how I ended up here… guess the casino still recognizes guests even after all this time, huh? How’s that for history.”

“Are you all right?”

“Yeah, now.” He tilted his head to one side. “Talk about a captive audience. Or captive entertainer? Eh - whatever. Either way, if my life had to be tied to another, I can’t think of a better person for it to be than you.” He reached out and grabbed her by the hand, pulling her to him.

“Dean…” She looked up at him, watching him remove those sunglasses. 

He leaned in close to her, hoping she didn’t stop him… and when she didn’t, he kissed her. Her lips were soft and warm, just like he’d thought they would be. Dean wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tightly against him as he continued kissing her. He wanted to do more, but knew if he did… he’d get attached. And he was already attached enough. He pulled away from her, but still held her in his arms, “Look, I’m more about short goodbyes than long thankful speeches…” He told her as he placed his forehead against hers. “But I appreciate you bailing me out of a tight spot there - partner. Let me give you some practical advice, though - a way we both come out ahead.”

“I’m listening.” She whispered. 

“I know the reason I’m in here now is because of the old guy - and you. Thing is, here’s where being my partner pays off. See, I know how to get into the casino vault.”

“Gimme the short version.” She pulled back a bit, looking him in his black eyes.

“Elevator’s up in the Executive Suites. Voice-activated. Speak the right phrase, in the right tone of voice, and it’s open sesame. I was able to snag the voice, or I thought I had. The right tone and phrasing… well, that may take some time.”

Six cocked her head to one side in confusion. “Voice?”

“Yeah, the woman, the Starlet, Vera - her voice. Didn’t realize there was so many holotapes of her still around, otherwise… oh, never mind. So here’s the short of it - piece together Little Miss Vera Keyes’ song in the right order? Sierra Madre opens its legs, we’re in business.”

“All right, I’ll head out and see what I can do on my end.”

“Go knock yourself out. I’m just going to catch my breath a bit. That performance… well, more pressure than I was expecting.” He handed her some sort of tape he’d had in his safe, a blackmail tape. She didn’t ask, she didn’t care. As Six started to walk off when Dean pulled her in for one last kiss. “I’m going to miss you… partner.”

“I’m going to miss you too, Dean. In fact, I already do.” She smiled at him, trying not to cry. She hated being emotional. She headed out of the Tampico and back to the lobby. She checked the terminal there and found that she could download snippets of Vera’s hologram code. Taking the floor up to the Suite’s, Elijah let her know there were emitter signatures, which likely meant more holograms. He also let her know that Christine was somewhere in a high class suite - Vera’s. Six ran around, avoiding the female holograms that were wandering certain rooms, freaking out. It was like a maze up there. Eventually, she made her way to Christine who was, in fact in Vera’s room. Turned out, Vera had taken an overdose of chems and died… but not before she wrote the words ‘LET GO’ on the wall above the bed. Six knew it was wrong, but she snagged Vera’s dress. If she ever saw Dean again… she’d give it to him.

Christine noticed Six, “You made it, good…” She said as she coughed. “Hurts to talk. I’ll keep this quick in case my… voice goes out.”

“You know, you sound like the woman in the Sierra Madre broadcast.”

“Do I? It sounds off to my ears… hard to tell. Not to mention it… hurts like hell to swallow. Might be why I got moved off to this suite… it’s hers.”

“Now that your voice is back… I need you to do something for me.”

“All right, but I want you to know that Elijah is what I’m here for. He cannot leave the Sierra Madre alive. What he’s done… what he’s done here is nothing compared to what he’s done in the past. The only way to bring him out is if you get to the vault… he won’t allow you to go down there alone. That’s when we will kill him.”

“I know he has to be dealt with… just let me handle it.” Six told her.

“Wasn’t sure until now if I could trust you. Now I know. Look, when I woke up here… however that happened… I had this key on me - I think it belongs to her.” Christine looked over at Vera’s skeleton in the corner. “Haven’t had a chance to use it yet - might open the dresser or the safe - didn’t have time to experiment with it before you arrived. So, here you go.”

Six took the key and smiled, “I’m just glad you’re safe. You hold up here, I’ll take care of Elijah.”

“Good luck. He’s… no an easy opponent. If I can, I’ll help. Might be able to figure something out using the Sierra Madre’s computer system.” Christine walked over to the terminal next to another door and unlocked it. 

“Listen, I found the phrase for the elevator’s audio lock…”

Christine looked at Six a bit surprised and smiled a little, “You did? Looks like even the Old World can’t keep you out when you’ve got a mind to get in. So… let me guess… I just rasp out some words, and the vault opens? That woman, that starlet… she didn’t build this place, why would the builder do that?”

Six shook her head, “This place… I’m not sure, it doesn’t feel like a casino. Not entirely.”

“I know. The sealed doors, the security… it’s almost a fortress. Think that’s why we’re being ordered to come here and crack it open?”

“Guess it’s the object of someone’s obsession - or affection.”

“Love makes people do strange things. Won’t argue that. It can drive you crazy sometimes if you can’t… connect. If they loved each other, and they were together… I suppose that’s all that mattered. But she’s in that side room, dead, because the casino wouldn’t let her leave. And who knows where he is.”

“I have no idea, let’s unlock it. The phrase is contained in the lyrics to a song. The sequence is: Begin. Again. Let. Go.”

“All right. If you go down there, are you prepared… what if you don’t come back?”

“Oh, believe me, I’m coming back. But… I’ve got you to come down after me, I’ll respond to your voice.”

“I… just wanted to make sure you’re ready. When you go down there, that may be it for us… we won’t be needed anymore. The one who made these collars, he’ll follow you down there. And he won’t let you leave. He’s not one for sharing, never was.”

“He’ll come through here, to the Suites - when he does, you let him go through.”

“I can’t… let him leave here. Look, you’ve done so much, and he’s not going to show himself until you go down there.”

“Do you trust me? If you do, let go of this.”

“I can’t let go. Every time I’ve thought about it… I’ve lost him so many times. He needs to die… what happened here, with us? He’s… he’s done so much worse.”

“Let him come through the Suites, follow me. If he escapes, you’ll still be here, waiting.”

“You have to promise me. Promise me you’ll deal with him… if I see him, I…”

Six interrupted, “He won’t escape, I swear.”

“All right. All right. I’ll… but I’ll need to leave this floor. He’ll pick up my collar, and…”

“For now, just say the words, and let’s settle this so we can all go home.”

“I… never mind. Let me get the vault open… ‘Begin again… but know when to let go’. Sounds like you.” Christine smiled a bit. She went over to the intercom speaker and spoke the words. They heard what sounded like several contraptions moving about and suddenly, the elevator doors opened. With a small smile and a nod from Christine, Six headed down… hoping she’d be able to get back out.

Getting to the vault was pretty simple, just took a bit of avoiding holograms and speakers. She walked right up to the terminal and opened the massive door. She looked around and saw about 30 gold bars just lying on a table. “That… that is the great treasure? What a crock of shit.” But, before she did anything, she grabbed about five bars and crammed them deep into her pack. She couldn’t take more than five because they were heavy as hell. Six had to disable the security before she could access the terminal in the middle of the room. On the terminal was a note to Vera, from Sinclair. She didn’t read it, it wasn’t her place to. Sure they were both dead, but that didn’t mean it was any of her business. Suddenly, part of the Sierra Madre emblem opened and there was the hologram of Elijah again. “You. You’re in the vault… finally. After all this time. The Sierra Madre… mine. Don’t move, don’t touch anything else… there may be more traps down there… another security system.”

Six smiled, “Still hiding behind images and screens, I see.”

“Hiding? Hardly. Trapped. You think you’re the first one to unlock the casino door? No, I did it… with other hands, other bodies. After that, the casino wouldn’t let go. Once I was locked in, no way out… until your pip-boy signal came to life in the Villa. Then… then, things changed. And here you are.”

“Now that I’m here, are you comin’ down or what?”

“No. I am not going to take the chance while I’m so close... not this close, no. Not again… I can wait… afford to be careful. You… you’re locked down there. This is the only entrance, and I have free reign of the Sierra Madre. I have time… more than you. Besides, there might be more traps. I’ll send more scouts in… yes, others. You’re… resourceful, don’t want to leave anything more to chance.”

Six shrugged at the holographic image. “Then I’ll find a way to unlock the secrets of this vault, take them for myself.”

“You’ve gotten far. Any father, try to breach the vault, you’ll become a corpse. What’s inside there is mine. Anyone else touches it… tries to take it from me… they’ll answer for it.” 

“I already managed to unlock the elevator and get down here before you. Better hurry.”

“This casino isn’t some caravan safe. And the lock that secures the Sierra Madre vault doesn’t hold all its secrets.”

“Oh, so there IS a lock? Good. Wasn’t sure until you said so. You know, the Sierra Madre’s a huge combination lock. Me? I’ve almost cracked it.”

“I’ve had enough… enough of others stealing from me. I’m coming down, forget the Sierra Madre security, I’ll find you myself. Try to do anything smart, I’ll set off the collar.”

Six snuck out of that room and hid behind a wall when suddenly Dean came over the speakers, “Is… is this thing on? You hear me down there, partner? Trying to help you out here… disable the speakers, play a little music.” After that Christine chimed in saying she was trying to shut down the turrets. Six couldn’t believe the help she was receiving from them. She watched as Elijah made his way down to where she was. She continued to hide as she watched him enter the vault. Once he did, she bolted and made it just in time to watch it close everything off. She could hear Elijah yelling something about being stuck in there and her collar, but she hit the elevator as quickly as possible. The Old Man was unable to set her collar off before she exited the basement, where he was now stuck for the remainder of his days. 

She left the Sierra Madre, and there, by the Fountain, stood Dean Domino. He quickly ran to her, wrapping his arms around her as she pulled her collar off. He cupped her face and kissed her with heated passion, something he hadn’t felt since the bomb. “That Old Man put us in a life-or-death situation, that would almost certainly end in death.” He said told her. “Because of you, we’re alive.”

Dean hugged Six tightly, telling her that God was waiting for her outside of the gate to lead her to where Dog found her so she could return home. Dean also let her know he was going to explore the Sierra Madre for a bit and then head for New Vegas to start a new career. Christine, however, had decided to stay and watch over the Madre. “I miss you, partner.” He said, kissing her again. He put his arm around her waist and they turned to look at the Sierra Madre, for Six, it would be the final time. Dean broke the silence, “You’ve heard of the Sierra Madre Casino. We all have, the legend, the curses. Some foolishness about it lying in the middle of a City of Dead.”

“A city of ghosts.” Six said.

“Beneath a blood-red cloud… a bright, shining monument, reaching out, luring treasure hunters to their doom.” Dean continued.

“An illusion. A promise that you can change your fortunes. Begin again.”

“Finding it, though, that’s not the hard part… it’s letting go.”

Six echoed Dean’s words, “It’s letting go.”

He hugged her again and told her to check the New Vegas casinos once in awhile because that's where he planned to end up. Six explained to him that she was going to make her way to the Commonwealth, but she had plans to come back once a year to Goodsprings… she would make it a point to stop in and make sure she spent some time with him. He kissed her once more, the last one he'd get for a while. Dean let her know he'd never forget her, she responded with the same. He watched as Six walked out the gate, accompanied by God. Dean felt a little sadness inside him, but he knew in his heart that he'd see her again someday. 

Six and God talked the way back to where she began. He told her he’d decided to head west into California, that he would remember and speak of her fondly. About how she’d set him free and allowed his life to begin again. He'd never forget her. None of them would. Six hugged the Super Mutant, hesitating leaving. She was so tempted to stay. But she didn't. Once she got down into the bunker, she noticed the radio was still on as it played a different message to her. It was Christine. 

“Wait a moment. Before you go, I... we... hope you've enjoyed your stay. Farewells can be a time of sadness -- letting go, difficult. As a guest of the Sierra Madre, you know that truth more than anyone. Frederick Sinclair believed that one's life could be made anew every day, that fortunes were more than the wealth in your hands. Love, life, family, those to care for and those who will care for you: to those who know these joys, the Sierra Madre holds little they don't already have. Out in the world, beyond these walls, that is your chance to begin again. I hope that you will return in happier times. Until then, the Sierra Madre, and I, will hold you in our hearts.”

She didn't want to leave the Sierra Madre - wanted to be there with it. With them. Eventually, she'd get a tattoo that said ‘I left my heart in the Sierra Madre’ to mark the memory. Six smiled and laughed to herself, “I guess I just can't let go and begin again.”


End file.
